


Scars of Iron and Steel

by FeralFeline101



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action, Anger, Anger Management, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Ba Sing Se, Badass, Character Development, Coming of Age, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fanfiction, Feels, Feminism, Firebending & Firebenders, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Love, Notice me, On Hiatus, Original Character-centric, Revenge, Romance, Sad Backstory, Teen Romance, Trauma, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko's Scar (Avatar), bad boy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 60,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24826402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeralFeline101/pseuds/FeralFeline101
Summary: Feeling as if the world has turned it's back on her, Tiani Huang's heart becomes cold and hard. With revenge the only thing on her mind after her face is brutally scarred, she takes on the identity of the mysterious Black Tigress, an infamous assassin who shows no mercy and leaves no survivors. But her life takes a different turn when a familiar face steps into her world again: Zuko. Only, he is not the young prince she remembers. He too has molded his heart into a ball of iron and steel.Suddenly, Tiani finds herself on a journey of self discovery where old wounds are reopened and an old romance begins to blossom anew. The only problem is, can the banished prince and the scarred assassin ever find it within themselves to let go of the past?
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), The Gaang (Avatar) & Original Character(s), Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 47





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings my fellow readers and writers! I am so pleased to publish my very first work on Archive of Our Own. Avatar the Last Airbender has always been a very special series for me due to its inspirational character arcs and Asian culture. I do hope you enjoy! I will be providing the definitions to certain Chinese vocabulary below every chapter to help make reading easier and more understandable. Thank you so much for giving this story a read and I hope you enjoy!  
> Sincerely,  
> FeFe

________________________________________________________ 

It was late in the evening before she arrived at the small village of Giao. The air was still warm and shadows lengthened as the sun sank farther in the west, casting a warm golden glow over the surrounding area. The villagers kept their distance as she rode into town, their eyes wary and defensive. Some even shook in fear. She paid them no mind for she was used to this sort of behavior. It was common for people to know who she was and what she did for a living. A person whose job was to take lives was a person to be feared indeed. Her ostrich horse clucked his beak in satisfaction as she dismounted and led him over to a trough of water. He gladly drank his fill, his useless wings fluttering with pleasure. She stroked his neck, well aware that nearly everyone was watching her, including the Fire Nation soldiers that were making their rounds.

  
The air was full of whispers. Full of rumors. They all knew who she was. They all recognized her black hood and the signature mask that covered the lower half of her face. And they all knew what she was capable of doing. Even the soldiers.

  
The merchants that lined either side of the main road looked both terrified in elated when she strolled towards them. Obviously she was a person to be feared, but she was incredibly successful when it came to her job, which meant she had lots of spend.

  
Her fingers were quick and efficient as she picked out pieces of dried mango that she deemed worthy enough to be eaten and tossed into a bag. Her eyes fell on the large amount of *lychee nuts that were available and decided to throw some in as well, unable to resist her cravings.

  
The shopkeeper’s eyes fell on the clasp of her cloak. The clasp with three vertical slashes carved into it. His throat bobbed as his gaze traveled down to the *dao sword and dagger sheathed at her hips. He quickly forced a smile, bowed, and held out his hand. “It is an honor to be of service to the Black Tigress.”

  
She fought the urge to scoff. Flattery would get him nowhere. It was often that shopkeepers would try and squeeze an extra coin or two out of her and sometimes, when she was in a good mood, which was rare, she would. But not this day. After riding for hours on end, it was definitely not this day.

  
“I suppose it is.” Her voice was bland and rough from riding for days without speaking. She handed him a small handful of coins and went to walk away, bag in hand, but not before he stopped her.

  
“I don’t suppose you can afford an extra coin out of sheer kindness?”

  
The Black Tigress turned, a sudden warm wind causing her black cloak to billow behind her. Her eyes narrowed and beneath her mask, her lip curled. “I am not a kind person.” Earth Kingdom fool, she thought to yourself. No wonder the Fire Nation has taken control of your town. “Don’t test me. I paid you a fair amount. You should be thankful.”

  
“Y-yes of course! Do forgive me.” He cowered behind his stand, shoulders shaking.

  
Ignoring the way people were whispering about her, she returned to her Ostrich horse, whom she had fondly named Niourou, and went to mount when the earth began to shake.

  
Suddenly three Fire Nation soldiers appeared, each astride an armored komodo Rhino that sent a flurry of dust into the air as they were stopped. She grimaced.

“Attention villagers of Giao! Under direct orders of Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, if you have seen or interacted with either or both of these people, you are asked to contact us immediately! The soldier then held up a poster of two people. She squinted and nearly fainted when she recognized their faces. One was around her age, his eyes sharp and fierce. His whole head had been shaved except for a long tuft of dark hair at the back which was pulled up into a ponytail.

  
“Zuko?” She breathed. But then she saw the horrific burn scar that marred the corner of his face and frowned. The Zuko she remembered didn’t have a scar…however, if the other person that was wanted was Iroh…

  
“Black Tigress.”

  
She was startled out of her deep thoughts to find one of the soldiers looking down at her from his Rhino, the hulking beast radiating pure power and destruction. “Yes?”

  
“Have you by any chance seen these two people? They are traitors to the Fire Nation and need to be brought to justice as soon as possible.” He handed her the poster and her face paled as she recognized the large grey-haired man that had been drawn above the one that looked like Zuko.

  
“Iroh,” She murmured to herself. So it was Zuko. What had happened to him? Why did he look so angry? The Zuko she had known nearly five years ago had been shy, awkward, and playful, maybe a little arrogant. And that scar…She shook her head and went to hand the soldier back the poster. “No. I haven’t seen them.”

He waved his hand at her. “Keep it. If you’re not busy, the Fire Nation is willing to pay a generous reward to whoever can capture these two criminals. If anyone can track them down, it’s you. The Fire Nation is greatly indebted to you for your years of service.”

  
Years of service. Her lips pursed. For four years she had been hunting down enemies of the Fire Nation to fuel her rage and hatred. Two more fugitives wouldn’t hurt. But seeing Zuko and Iroh again...she didn’t know if she had it in her. She bit the inside of her cheek and shoved the poster into the knapsack she kept attached to her saddle.  
“If you are busy with other job offers it is understandable. However, it would greatly benefit us if we had you also on the lookout.” He then grinned. “Plus I’m a big fan!”  
Yes, she did have another job to do and she had been waiting three years to accomplish it. She had been wanting to achieve it since the last day she was called by her real name. Tiani.

  
She didn’t return the smile and instead bowed respectfully to him. “I will keep an eye out. Thank you for the helpful information.”

  
“Much obliged, Tigress. Oh, one last tip, apparently he’s been spotted in the Western Earth Kingdom, but no one’s been able to track anything after that. Maybe you’ll be more successful!” He threw her one last grin over his shoulder before he and the other two soldiers barreled off down the road, a cloud of dust following them.

  
Tiani watched them leave, her brows furrowed. She gritted her teeth as she reached into her knapsack to pull out the poster. Her tight grip on the paper caused it to wrinkle and her hands shook as she stared into the two faces of her past. So many questions. Niourou clucked his beak and nuzzled his feathered head up against her arm.  
“You’re right, boy,” She said, swinging herself into the saddle. “Let’s hunt some royalty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Lychee Nuts: A fruit that is quite common in China, with a hard reddish brown outer shell and a soft white inside
> 
> *Dao Sword: The shorter companion sword to a Jin blade, which is much longer


	2. Chapter 1

It was another day’s ride by the time she came across a small house. She could see the light coming from the windows and the smell of something cooking wafting through the air. Her stomach rumbled but she pushed herself to ride onward. While she was hungry for something other than dried mango (she had already eaten all the lychee nuts), dining with strangers with her face on full display did not sit well with her. She pulled her mask up farther over the bridge of her nose.  
She was about to spur Niourou onward but she heard a voice calling out to her.

  
“Hello! Good evening!” It was a girl who looked to be about the same age as her with long brown hair who was waving to her from up ahead. Tiani twisted the clasp of her cloak around to hide the carving, just to be safe. “You look tired! Would like you to stay for dinner?” The girl came up beside her and smiled. “I have a place you can keep your ostrich horse.”

Tiani sighed. She was indeed tired, and a plate of hot food did sound good. She pondered a moment more before relenting and dismounting. “Very well. But I can’t stay long.”

  
“Oh that’s fine! At least stay for dinner. My family and I love having people over, it would be our pleasure to be hosts. Here allow me.” The girl gently took the reins from her and walked down a simple path to the back of her home. “My name is Song, by the way. What’s yours?”

  
She hesitated. No one in three years had offered her to eat with them. It was probably because of her deadly reputation. But this girl, Song, didn’t seem frightened by her outward appearance, not even the slightest bit fazed. As long as she ate alone, what harm could it be?

  
“I’m...Ti.” Her old nickname, given to her by her friends, Ty Lee, Azula, Mai, and...Zuko. “My name is Ti.”

  
“Nice to meet you, Ti!” Song smiled at her. “Here we are.” She led Niourou to the small stable and slipped off his bridle and saddle. Her mount cawed happily and began to eat the seeds and leaves that were available to him. “Aw look how happy he is.”

  
“Why do you have a stable and paddock when there’s nothing living in it?” Tiani asked, looking around for any other livestock.

  
Song’s smile faded. “Only two nights ago we had two travelers come through. One of them, an older man, had gotten sick and I helped him find the cure to his illness. I invited him and his nephew over for dinner as well. When they left they stole our only ostrich horse.” A moment of silence passed until she clapped her hands together. “But what happened happened, and it’s all in the past. Now come inside, I want to introduce you to my parents.”

  
The sound of it was certainly unappealing to her, nonetheless, Tiani shrugged and allowed herself to be ushered inside the quaint home that smelled of freshly cooked food and firewood. A happy looking couple greeted them.

  
“Ah, Song, you’ve brought another visitor!” Song’s mother exclaimed. “I would’ve made more food if I had known we were going to have company.”  
“Mom, Dad, this is Ti.”

  
Tiani hated awkward introductions but she bowed respectfully to the couple. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” She pulled back her hood, revealing a long braid of warm brown hair and unclasped her cloak, jumping in surprise when Song took it from her and hung it on a hook by the door. “Uh, thank you.”

“No need for formalacy,” the father said laughing. “Now come sit down, Ti, and help yourself!”

  
“I--actually, I would rather prefer to eat alone.” She swallowed, hands unconsciously reaching for her mask. The shame and embarrassment of having people see what was hidden beneath the black fabric terrified her. This was the part she had been dreading. Would they force her to uncover her face? Ridicule her? Laugh?

  
Song’s mother smiled warmly and nodded. “I understand. Just two nights ago we had a young man and his uncle pass through here. The young man’s face had a burn scar. I felt so sorry for him, it must have been so painful.” Tiani was suddenly listening intently. Zuko. It had to be Zuko and Iroh. “We understand if you are self conscious. The Fire Nation has unfortunately hurt a lot of people, including our daughter.” She gestured to Song, who lifted her dress to reveal a burn scar that went up her calf. “You can sit outside the back door. Feel free to come back inside for seconds.”

  
Tiani let out a slow breath of relief and thanked her again. Song’s mother only smiled and handed her a bowl that was heaped with rice and topped with braised turtle duck and a cup of hot jasmine tea. Grateful, she took the tea and meal and stepped out to the back before sliding the door shut and sitting down to enjoy her meal. Warily, she checked to see if anyone was watching and then pulled down her mask, enjoying the cool air on her now exposed skin.

  
The turtle duck was tender and filling and the rice cooked to the point where it was not too sticky and not too wet--it wasn’t long before she had eaten the last of it and set the bowl and her chopsticks aside. About to wash down her meal, she went to drink some tea but paused, her reflection suddenly staring back at her. Suddenly, she could see her whole face. She could see the scars that marred the lower half. Four in total. One on either corner of her mouth that extended outwards, a horizontal one that cut over her left cheek and the bride of her nose, and a final vertical one that sliced down the right side of her cheek, down her jaw, and neck.

  
They were three years old now. Three years. With her free hand she touched the vertical one on her right side. The deepest one. They had all faded to a silvery white except for that one. It was still a pale pink.

  
Her eyes squeezed shut and she found herself not so hungry anymore. In a fit of sudden anger, she tossed the tea out and brought her knees up to her chest.  
The sound of the door sliding open made her act quickly and she yanked the mask back, avoiding eye contact and hoping no one saw. “I don’t like to be disturbed while eating.” Her voice came out harsh and aggressive.

  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Song said. “I just thought you might want some company.”

  
Tiani thought for a moment, her features softening. Then again, from the sound of it, Zuko and his uncle had passed through here. This would be a good opportunity to gain any new leads. She sighed and patted the ground beside her. “I wouldn’t mind some company actually.”

  
“Great!” She could practically feel the girl’s smile without even looking at her. “How long will you be staying?”  
“No long,” Tiani replied. “Just tonight. I’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning.”

  
“Oh. Sounds like you’re going somewhere important.”

  
She glanced over at the girl and shrugged. “You could say that.”

  
A couple heartbeats passed before any of them said anything. Tiani could tell that Song had a lot of questions she wanted to ask her. The poor girl was practically vibrating with suppressed excitement.

  
“So,” Tiani was the first to speak, “Two travelers stopped by not long ago?”

  
“Yeah.”

  
“Do you remember their names?”

  
Song tapped her chin as she thought for a moment. “I believe the one with the scar called himself Lee--” Of course he chose the name Lee. Only the most common name in all the world. Smart, Zuko, smart. “--and his uncle was Mushi, I believe. The reason I invited them for dinner was because his uncle had tried to make tea with a poisonous plant.”  
It was definitely Iroh and Zuko. But why were they fugitives? What had happened after she had left? “What way did they leave?”

  
Song pointed off down the road and then gave her a curious look. “Why are you so interested in them? Do you know them?”

  
Tiani thought carefully, making sure she gave nothing about herself away. “No, but I would like to know the people who stole your mount so I can find them and return it to you.”

  
The girl laughed and shook her head. “Oh there’s no need! What’s done is done. I do feel a bit sad that Lee felt the need to steal from us when all he had to do was simply ask. We would’ve let him use it. But there was something so...tragic about him. It looked like he harbored a lot of pain and anger within himself. He really didn’t talk much during his stay. It was mostly his uncle that spoke for him--such a kind man. Whatever happened to him in his past must have been truly tragic. I feel sorry for him.” They sat in silence for several long minutes until Song stood up and placed a full cup of tea in her hands. “Here, I didn’t drink any of mine; you can have it. If you’re still hungry, you can always have some more. And when you need to sleep, you can use our barn if you want.” Tiani nodded in appreciation and Song left, shutting the door behind her.

  
For a moment, all she did was look at the tea, which was now cold. She looked at her masked reflection and then glanced over her shoulder before softly blowing on the cold tea. Instantly, the cold liquid became hot and she drank it all in one gulp, enjoying the way it warmed her insides.

  
As a notorious assassin, she kept her firebending abilities a secret so she could go about unseen. People knew her fake name and that was all. She told no one that she was born and raised in the Fire Nation from a very privileged family. She kept that part about herself hidden. No one knew who she was or where she was from. The Fire Nation didn’t seem to care where she originated, for she was often approached by them to do dirty assignments. Did a wealthy nobleman need someone silenced? Did the Fire Nation consider a certain person a threat? It was her they usually came to. Most of the time, she didn’t care what the job was, just that she was getting paid well, but this time it was different. Much different.

  
She and Zuko were the same age and they had both grown up together. Played together even. But pain and anger? She had never seen him like that. She had known he was often jealous of his sister, Azula. And he had frequently expressed how much he thought his father hated him, but pure anger and rage…

  
A small smile pulled at her lips as she remembered how she, Azula, Ty Lee, and Mei would always pressure him to play games with them. They would taunt and tease him until his mother would finally force him to join. Her smile turned sour as she remembered Mai always pushing her out of the way to get to Zuko. How she would always try and flirt...typical Mai. Always getting whatever she wanted. For a time, Tiani wondered if she really did have a chance. But then the “incident” happened and she never saw them again.

  
“I wonder what the three of them are up to,” she thought out loud. She turned her gaze towards the moon that had risen high in the night sky and wondered if Zuko was out there looking up at it as well. Maybe. Just maybe... Tiani scoffed and rubbed her eyes. If only she was that lucky.


	3. Chapter 2

“Be careful out there,” Song warned, handing her some food for the road. “Watch out for the Blue Spirit.”

  
Tiani leaned over in her saddle to take the food. “Blue Spirit?”

  
“No one knows who they are, but they wear a blue mask and steal from unsuspecting travelers like yourself,” Song’s mother said. “Just be careful. Only the Avatar can save you from such evil.”

  
She rolled her eyes and pulled back her cloak to show them the blades strapped to her hips. “I think I’m more than capable of defending myself. I don’t need the Avatar the save me. Don’t worry.”

  
“Safe travels then!” Song said. “I’m glad you visited!”

  
Tiani nodded and clicked her tongue, spurring Niourou forward, away from the cheerful family that had shown her so much kindness. Kindness she was not used to receiving. Such a shame that they were of the Earth Kingdom and it wouldn’t be long before their village was under the control of the Fire Nation. But the thought of them finding the bag of coins that she had left inside brought a small smile to her face.

_Song and the rest of your family,_  
_Here is some money to replace the ostrich horse that was stolen from you._  
_-Ti_

\-------------

The midday sun seemed to almost drag itself into the sky and Tiani had stopped to rest by a creek for a short while. All around her were the sound of chirping birds and soft trickling water. Niourou was grazing on a pile of fresh leaves she had gathered and softly clucking to himself contentedly. Tiani had chosen to eat one of the pau buns Song’s family had packed for her while she tossed a ball of fire. It was a rather therapeutic method for finding tranquility.

Bite

  
Chew

  
Toss

  
Catch

  
Swallow

  
This repeated for nearly several minutes, until she decided to only practice on her firebending instead. Bending had always made her feel whole. It made her feel complete. She relished the feeling of having so much energy and power contained in the palm of your hand. She basked in the feeling of knowing the damage she could cause.

  
She grinned as she went through the motions, remembering the forms she had been taught so many years ago. Her old master had called her outstanding and magnificent. Then she remembered him always sighing and shaking his head when she told him that her advanced training had to be kept secret from her parents. Shyoshou was a good man. An honest man. Unlike her own father who kept her in the dark her whole life. Unlike her own family who turned their backs on her when she needed them most.

  
Then there was always the question of what she would do with Zuko and Iroh when she found them. Would she turn them in and get her money? No...yes? She growled in frustration and suddenly noticed she had turned the grass around her black from one of her one fire blasts. Her shoulders heaved as she fought to regain her composure. She closed her eyes and focused. Patience. Serenity. Calm. Breathe.

  
A snap of a twig caused her eyes to snap open. Instantly she was on high alert. Quickly, she pulled her hood back on over her head and unsheathed her blades. One dao blade and one long dagger. Both relatively short, but excellent when it came to close combat, and much lighter than a regular long sword. She crouched down in the bushes, immediately turning to look towards Niourou. A strangled cry escaped her lips when she saw a masked figure snatch her knapsack. She only saw them for a second but she could see a blue mask---

  
The Blue Spirit.

  
Song was right.

  
The thief must’ve heard her cry because they took off and ran. Taini snarled and sprinted after them, making sure to untether her mount as she did. He could find her later if she called for him.

  
It was a wild chase through the woods and Tiani had no idea where she was going. But she wanted her bag back and she wasn’t going to let a thief in some stupid mask take it from her. She especially wasn’t going to let them get away when she could see them up ahead getting closer. Her lips curled. She was gaining on them.

  
The trees seemed to almost move out of their way as they raced through the woods. Tiani unsheathed her dagger and watched carefully, observing the thief’s quick footwork. They obviously knew she was gaining on them. The only logical option would be to take a sharp turn to the left or the right. But how can you predict where they will turn. Judging from how the sword sheathed to their right side, they are likely right handed. So, logically one would assume they would turn to the side they feel most dominant in.  
Tiani’s fingers steadily gripped the flat of the blade and focused her breathing and readied herself to strike. Sure enough, the Blue Spirit started to turn to the right. And that’s when she struck. Her dagger flew through the air and hit right where she wanted it to.

  
The dagger sliced through the loose part of the thief’s sleeve and impaled itself in a tree, causing the poor figure to nearly fly off their feet, but before they could yank the blade free, she was on them.

  
In an instant she yanked her bag away from them, grabbed their non-impaled hand and held it above their head while using her free hand, held her dao sword against their neck. Both of them were breathing heavily, Tiani mainly out of rage.

  
“How dare you steal from me!” She snarled. “I ought to skin you alive from pulling a stunt like that. No one steals from the Black Tigress unless you’re a fool. Are you a fool?” She didn’t let them speak. “Actually don’t answer that because I already know the answer.” Carefully she removed the blade from their neck and stepped back. “Now who are you?”

  
They said nothing, only staring at her through those dark soulless eyeholes.

  
Tiani took a moment to observe them. From far away she couldn’t tell, but now, only feet away, they were obviously male. She sheathed her sword and eyed the dual blades they had sheathed at their side. Impressive.

  
“You would think I would know about you, being that I’m rather famous myself. But I only just heard about you today, can you believe that? The people who mentioned you acted as if you were some horrible monster demon, but you’re just some guy in a mask.” The masked woman laughed to herself and then swiftly yanked the blade from their sleeve and from the tree. “Now who are you?” They continued to only stare at her and she rubbed her eyes. “You don’t talk much do you?”

  
Their whole body stiffened at that sentence and she thought she heard a gasp from behind the mask but she wasn’t sure. There was a pause and then the thief raised their hands and slowly removed their mask.

  
Tiani’s legs nearly buckled when she found herself staring into the golden eyes of Zuko. She stumbled backwards in shock and her hand went to cover her concealed mouth. “Zuko?” Her voice came out in a whisper.

  
“Tiani? Is that you?” He sounded just as shocked as she was. “What are you doing in the Earth Kingdom?”

  
“You’re the Blue Spirit?” She asked incredulously. “How did--”

  
“I asked you first.”

  
Tiani pinched the bridge of her nose to fight the oncoming headache. “It seems we both have a lot of explaining to do.”


	4. Chapter 3

Describing the walk through the woods to wherever Zuko and his uncle were staying as awkward was an understatement. Both of them didn’t say a word to each other on the way there but she could feel him glancing at every once in a while. She could practically taste the unsaid questions that were hanging in the air. He had every right to be curious. Four years ago she had pretty much disappeared and was never seen again.

  
He had definitely changed from the Zuko she used to know. The way he walked--or rather, marched--was stiff and menacing, and his golden eyes were cold and hard. The traditional ponytail she always remembered him having was gone and replaced with short dark hair. He was taller now, as well. Standing maybe a few inches taller than her. And that scar...so damaging that it prevented his left eye from opening fully. A training incident perhaps? Did Azula get carried away? It seemed like something his younger sister would do. She had always been rather cruel to him.

Tiani’s grip on Niourou’s reins tightened and her mount brushed his head against her shoulder, seeming to sense her sudden spike in anger. She patted his beak reassuringly and kept her gaze fixed on the way ahead.

  
“We’re here.” Zuko’s voice had changed drastically from when she had last seen him. Then again, they were only twelve during that time. Still, it took her by surprise.

He pushed back some of the tree branches so Tiani could lead her mount through them and then stepped in front of her so she couldn’t pass by. She scowled at him from under her mask. “I do believe you’re in my way. Care to move aside?”

  
Zuko’s stone cold expression didn’t waver at her sarcasm and it disturbed her. “I think it’s best if I went first.”

  
Tiani sighed impatiently and waved her hand at him. “Fine, do whatever.”

  
Without a word, Zuko stepped through the trees and she followed, finding herself in a small clearing with a decent sized cave. Another ostrich horse was tethered to a tree branch. Tiani frowned. So he _had_ stolen it.

  
“Uncle, I’m back,” Zuko called, standing outside the cave.

  
“Ah, Zuko. I was wondering when you were coming back. It’s getting late. I’m fixing some nice hot tea, would you like some?” Iroh’s gruff yet warm voice from within the cave made her legs shaky. She had only seen Zuko’s uncle a small handful of times, but she remembered liking him a lot. The older man had always been so kind to her. And he had always brewed the most exquisite tea.

  
Zuko rubbed the back of his head and glanced over at her and then back at the cave. “Uh, actually, I think we’re going to need an extra cup.”

  
“What? Why would we need an extra cup? We don’t have visitors do we?” Slowly she could see a figure shuffle towards the mouth of the cave. And then she saw the grey hair and long beard, the warm brown eyes. Iroh stared at her for a moment and then looked over at his nephew. “Who is this? Why didn’t you tell me we had company?”

  
Tiani handed the reins to Zuko who gave her an annoyed glance. She ignored him and pulled back her hood, slowly taking a step closer to the older man. “Hello, Iroh. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

  
Iroh’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “Tiani?! Great spirits how did you get here? Where have you been?” Without warning, the masked girl found herself wrapped in a tight embrace with the large man. She awkwardly patted his shoulder, not returning the hug. Iroh released her from his embrace and smiled at her. “It’s so good to see you. Where did you come from?” Before she could provide and answer, he patted her on the back and ushered her into the cave. “That doesn’t matter--come inside and have some tea with my nephew and I. We have lots to talk about!”

  
“Indeed,” She agreed, throwing a glance over her shoulder at Zuko who was watching her warily. While the two of them went way back, she didn’t blame him for being suspicious of her.

  
Iroh brought her inside the cave and gestured for her to sit down. She obliged and bowed her head in thanks when he handed her a cup of steaming tea. He must’ve given Zuko a look because he took a seat next to her, avoiding eye contact and begrudgingly took the cup of tea that was offered to him.  
Tiani tapped the rim of her cup and unclipped her cloak from around her neck. She eyed the two of them, not knowing what to say. Studiously staring into the depths of her tea seemed like a safer option.

  
“You’ve grown up so much--you and Zuko both. It seems like only yesterday you and him were playing in the royal gardens.” Iroh laughed in reminiscence.

  
“Uncle!” Zuko hissed, his cheeks tinted pink. “I would prefer you not talk about things like that.”

  
“You’ll have to forgive my nephew,” the older man said smiling. “He gets flustered around girls.”

  
“ _Uncle_!”

  
“I remember those times. Unfortunately, I am not here to relive old memories.” She carefully set her untouched tea down and clasped her fingers together.

  
“Then what are you here for?” Zuko asked sharply. Before she could react he snatched her cloak off the ground. His eyes widened as he spotted the carvings on the clasp. He waved it in her face. “You're..” Tiani gasped as the air was knocked out of her lungs when Zuko suddenly tackled her to the ground. “You’re the Black Tigress? You’re an assassin! What are you here for? To kill us?! Who sent you? My sister?!”

  
“Zuko, stop!” Iroh jumped to his feet.

  
The scarred prince ignored his uncle and shoved her further into the ground, his fingers digging into her shoulders. “Who sent you?!” He roared.

  
“No one!” She managed to choke out. “Get off me!”

  
“Not until you tell me!” Their faces were mere inches apart. So close that she could see the swirling golden pigments in his eyes. She could see the pure rage that burned within them and the scar tissue that covered the left side of his face.

  
“I told you! I’m not working with anyone!” Spirits, she missed the time when they were both children and she was slightly taller than him, and stronger. She tried pushing against him but he had moved his iron grip to her hands, pinning her down. Now, three years later, he was pure muscle.

  
“Then why are you here?!” His grip tightened painfully and she winced. “TALK!”

  
“Zuko Enough!” Iroh’s attempts at stopping his nephew fell on deaf ears.

  
Tiani snarled and brought her knee up, hitting him right between the legs. Zuko cried out and the skilled assassin took the opportunity to flip him over onto his back. She grabbed his arms and pinned them above his head while with her other hand, pressed the blade of her dagger against his neck. A smug smile spread across her masked face and she tilted her head to the side in triumph. “Now this looks familiar, doesn’t it? I will tell you this one last time. I was hired by no one. I came here on my own. Out of my own free will. If you would just listen for once, which I do remember you having trouble with in the past, you wouldn’t be in this awkward position.”

Slowly, she removed the blade from his throat and climbed off of him, holding out her hand to help him up. As she predicted, the stubborn prince slapped her hand away and got up on his own, rubbing his throat.

  
“If someone had let me explain myself before resorting to violence,” She threw a pointed look at Zuko, who scowled, “you would have already known that I did not come here to kill you. I came to find you out of pure curiosity. I saw your wanted poster and something told me to come find you. I don’t know what, but it felt right. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the both of you, let alone anyone from my past. I’ve spent the past three years on my own...and I created a whole new identity for myself--”

  
“The Black Tigress,” Zuko cut in.

  
“Yeah.” She nodded. “The Black Tigress.”

  
“We beg in the town nearby,” Iroh said. “Your alias comes up frequently from those who walk by. You’ve apparently scared a lot of people.”

  
“I have,” She agreed. And she was very ashamed of it. But she didn’t add that. “Honestly, Iroh, I don’t even know how you recognized me with this.” Her small gesture towards her mask made Iroh raise his brows.

  
“I never forget a voice, dear.” He was so kind and gentle. Nearly an exact opposite to the new and older Zuko. “May I ask why you won’t remove it?”

  
She stiffened and shook her head. Talking about the “incident” was something she never discussed with anyone. And she didn’t intend on sharing it anytime soon. That door was to remain locked and closed until the day she died. Her hands balled into fists. “I would prefer to not talk about it. Besides, it's a long story.” It really wasn’t, but they didn’t have to know that.

  
For a second, Tiani could have sworn she saw something in Zuko’s eyes soften--a hint of sympathy. But it was gone as fast as it came. He looked away.

  
“Ah, I understand.” Iroh frowned at the cups of tea that had been knocked over during the small brawl between her and Zuko. “Hmmm, I think I should make us some more tea. What do you think, Zuko?” The prince shrugged, his face still contorted in a scowl. “Well then, it’s settled. I will be out gathering some herbs. You two can catch up!” He grinned cheekily as he left the cave, disappearing into the dense underbrush.


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's FeFe! Just wanted to pop in to say thank you to the people who have been reading this story. It means a lot! The character of Tiani is such a personal character to me and I can't wait to continue writing her character development. Her interactions with Zuko are just getting started!  
> Please note that all the chapters that I have posted are still prone to mistakes and other errors. I will be going through them and cleaning them up. 
> 
> For now, please continue reading! If you really want to, a comment and a Kudo would be much appreciated!
> 
> Thank you so much,  
> FeFe

Tiani sat down and leaned up against the cave wall, summoning a ball of flame to her hand and tossing it up and down lazily, her eyes following its movements. Zuko watched her out of boredom as he sat across from her. The tension between them was palpable, but she kept her sight trained on the fireball. 

“Stop staring at me.”

“I’m not staring at you,” he argued, his face pinched. 

“Yes you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

Silence, except for the soft poof noise of the fire in her hands

And then, “So where did you get your dual swords? Did you steal them like you stole from that Earth Kingdom family?”

“What?”

“You stole from them.”

“I did not,” He denied, crossing his arms like a scolded child. 

“You don’t need to lie. The ostrich horse outside proves my argument.” She kept her voice calm and controlled. Lazy, even. 

“So you’re accusing me of lying and stealing?” 

A shrug. “Pretty much, yeah.” 

“So what if I did? What are you going to do? Pin me down again?” A taunt. A dare. 

Tiani raised one of her brows and smothered the flame in her fist. “If you’re into that, I can make it happen.” 

Zuko sputtered and his face turned as red as the scar on his face. “That is not even remotely appropriate. I can’t believe you would suggest something like that--”

“Zuko.” His wide eyes made contact with hers. “I’m only joking, relax. Don’t get all worked up.”

He swallowed and blinked quickly. “I’m not all worked up.” When she didn’t respond he coughed and then sighed. “I did steal the swords--but the guy that owned them did not deserve such weapons. And Uncle and I needed a mode of transportation.”

“I see...well I guess I will be traveling with you and your Uncle from now on, if you don’t mind. You can ride Niourou if you want.” Tiani unsheathed her dao sword and started to clean it with her cloak.

“You named your ostrich bird Niourou?” Zuko asked a hint of humor in her voice. “You named him chicken?”

Tiani paused her cleaning and stared at him. “What? I thought it was fitting.” When Zuko only chuckled she allowed a small smile to tug at her lips. 

Back when they were still little kids, she remembered many of their conversations being similar to the one they just had: bickering, playful banter, and arguing. At first, Zuko had been a quiet kid, hiding behind his mother’s skirts as she tried to catch a peak at him. But as he warmed up to her, a different side of him was revealed. One that was quite warm, and mischievous, and daring. So what had happened to him?  
What had happened to them both?

“Zuko?”

“Yeah?”

She paused, choosing her next words carefully. “Zuko what happened to you and Iroh? Why does Azula and the rest of the Fire Nation want you captured?”

And just like that the softness was gone, replaced by cold hard steel. “Uncle and I are traitors to the Fire Nation because of a mistake I made a long time ago. That’s all I’m going to say about it.” 

The bite in his words made her flinch and her cleaning of her blade became more vigorous. “Fine, I’m sorry I asked.” 

They lapsed into silence, both of them not knowing what to say to the other. Tiani bit the inside of her mouth, unsure of what else to say. She had blown it. Why had she asked him such a personal question only hours after she had reunited with him? Idiot. 

Zuko let out a breath. “Tiani, I can’t stay here for much longer. I must part ways with my uncle and find my own path, alone. I was going to tell Uncle and leave tonight.” 

Tiani looked up in surprise. Leaving? Already? She fought the disappointment that was rising inside of her. She had only just found them Zuko, the one she had been wanting to see the most, was leaving. Not that she didn’t enjoy Iroh’s company, but it was Zuko she had been hoping to reunite with and continue where they had left off. They had so much to catch up on and there were questions that needed answers. 

“I see,” she responded coolly. “And you will not be returning?”

He was avoiding eye contact with her. “I don’t know.”

“But I just got here, I--”

“I still need to find the Avatar, Tiani. I still need to regain my honor so I can return home. You wouldn’t understand.” The hard look in his eyes--the determination--made her uneasy. 

“The Avatar? You’re leaving your uncle to find the Avatar? No, I guess I don’t understand because every single assassin, bounty hunter, and Fire Nation soldier is out looking for you and you want to spend your time tracking down the Avatar? If you were thinking with even the slightest bit of logic, you would know that Ba Sing Se is the only place where you can be safe without a target on her back.” She rose to her feet and shoved her dagger back into its sheath at her hip. “I’m going to go get some firewood. If you really are leaving tonight, then I guess this is goodbye. Good luck on your search.” The backhanded compliment made him flinch and she stormed out of the cave, throwing her cloak over her shoulders. She paused at the mouth of the cave, to pull her hood back on over her head and risked a glance over her shoulder. 

“Tiani, I’m doing what needs to be done. It needs to be this way.” His golden eyes, maybe a couple shades lighter than her amber ones, looked almost pleading.  
She looked away and left him standing there alone.

The sun had already set by the time she got back to the camp, her arms full of fresh firewood. She grumbled to herself the entire time. Zuko had always been a little on the bratty side, he was prince after all, but this behavior absolutely enraged her. Maybe tracking them down had been a bad idea. Maybe she should have just looked the other way and gone about her normal life. 

Normal. 

As if killing people was considered normal. 

She laughed bitterly. If she had chosen not to track them down, she would be on her way to the Fire Nation in search of the person that destroyed her life and her face. She would have her revenge. But not today. 

In her frustration she threw the firewood down and made her way back inside the cave, stomping her feet as she went. Iroh was waiting for her. 

The old man was warming his hands by the fire and humming to himself. But the song sounded more sad than happy. There was no sign of Zuko. And the other ostrich horse was gone. Her heart sank. So he did leave. Of course he did. Fool. 

Iroh looked up from the flames and smiled at her. “Well I’m glad I’m not completely alone. Zuko may have left but at least you’re still here. Come sit, I made us some soup.”  
Tiani removed her cloak and took a seat across from Iroh, crossing her legs and clasping her hands. When Iroh went to hand her a bowl of soup that he had ladeled, she hesitated.  
“Tiani, if you don’t feel comfortable--”

Her stomach growled. Two pau buns had been the only thing she’d eaten throughout the entire day. That and some tea that Iroh had brewed earlier. It was then that she realized how famished she was. Without waiting for him to finish, she snatched the bowl from him, pulled off her mask and drank the soup. 

“Great spirits,” Iroh breathed. “Tiani, dear, who did that to you?”

He patiently waited for her to finish. Tiani swallowed the last bit from her bowl and then looked him in the eye. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and slowly blinked, well aware that he could see the scars that marred her face. “Let’s just say I messed the wrong people and paid dearly for it.”

Iroh’s mouth was pulled into a grim line. He set his bowl aside and watched her carefully. And then he changed the subject, much to her relief. “You want to know about Zuko and I, don’t you?” 

She nodded in confirmation. 

“Zuko spoke out during a war meeting when he was only thirteen years old. While he meant well, he disrespected all those in attendance. He was challenged to an Agni Kai. Only, Zuko believed he was to duel one of the noblemen who were present at the meeting. He didn’t realize that the one person whom he disrespected above all others had been his own father. Therefore it was his father he had to fight.”

Tiani had always disliked Ozai. Her father had been quite close with the Prince before he became Firelord. But there had always been something about him that terrified her. Maybe it was his voice that was so sharp and harsh it felt like a knife slicing across her skin. Or the cold heartless gaze in his burning eyes that always made her look away.  
When she and Zuko used to play together, he would often voice his anger and frustration towards his father. How his father would ignore him as if he was nothing, and give all the praise to his sister, Azula. After all, she was a prodigy and he was not. 

“Zuko begged his father to be merciful,” Iroh continued. “But Ozai had no compassion towards those he considered cowards, his own son included. As punishment, my brother burned Zuko’s face, and banished him from the Fire Nation. The only thing that would allow him to return home…”

“The Avatar.” Tiani finished, understanding what Zuko had meant when he had said that he needed to regain his honor. It all made sense now. She let out a breath. “I should have been more understanding.”

“You were angry, that I can understand.” Iroh moved over to sit next to her and placed a warm wrinkled hand on her arm. “Zuko is a troubled young man. He is full of anger and guilt. I stayed with him during his banishment because I think of him as my own. And I sense the same feelings reside within you as well.”

There was one thing that she and Zuko had in common above all others. They both disliked their fathers. While his was distasteful of him, her’s was overbearing and only thought of her as a pretty face that was to be sent off to be wed as soon as she was old enough. He treated her like a prized livestock animal that was to be bartered and traded. And once that animal became lame, there was no other use for it. So he turned his back on her. 

“I will get my revenge one day, mark my words,” She said, more to herself than to Iroh. “But I want to help you and Zuko first.”

Iroh looked at her thoughtfully. “Out of the four girls that I always saw in the royal courtyards, I remember you the most. You were quiet and observant, your nose was always in a book. You stood out. I think that was why Zuko liked you.”

Tiani’s head lifted in interest. “He liked me?” 

“Well yeah. The two of you were only small children at the time but from what I could tell, yes. I don’t know if his feelings have changed, but he has mentioned you every now and then, even in the midst of his search for the Avatar.” 

Right, the Avatar. 

“We’re leaving first thing tomorrow. We’re going to find him, Iroh.” She stood and headed towards the mouth of the cave. “I’m going to get things ready. You should get some rest.”

Iroh clapped his hands together. “Good idea! I’m going to sleep. You do that.”

Tiani watched him shuffle farther into the cave to rest. He would need it. They had a long ride ahead of them.


	6. Chapter 5

Two days later and Tiani was on the verge of siding with Zuko. Travelling with Iroh was worse than travelling with a small child. Every hour they had to stop because “his rear end was sore”, “He was tired”, “He was hungry”, “He had to relieve himself” or he thought he saw something that would make good tea. It took every ounce of patience within her not to knock him off Niourou and carry on alone.

  
Because of Iroh’s needs, she was afraid they would lose Zuko’s trail. She was relying on travelers by asking them if they had by any chance seen him. Going off of other’s tips, he was headed towards the Plains Village, which wasn’t far away. She gritted her teeth. Not much further. They were gaining on him, despite Iroh’s constant babbling.  
The Plains Village was a dusty and dilapidated looking place. The sad looking buildings seemed to be only moments away from collapsing, and the people were just as bad: Skinny and brown from the sun--their eyes hollow and miserable. Lovely.

  
Tiani approached the food stand and brought her bird to a halt. Her eyes scanned the area and she felt her heart leap in her chest when she saw charred wood and other destroyed businesses. Iroh seemed to notice as well. She turned to look at him and he nodded. Zuko had definitely been here.

  
The merchant at the stand shrank back at the sight of the two hooded figures that had ridden up to his stand, and his face visibly drained of all color when he noticed the mark of the Black Tigress.

  
“H-how may I help you?” He stammered. “I can give both of you discounts on anything you want!”

  
“Actually,” Tiani drawled, “we’re looking for someone. A young man, dark hair, riding an ostrich horse, with a scar on the left side of his face. Sound familiar?”

The merchant shook his head. “I see a lot of people--”

“Yeah I’ve seen him,” A deep gravelly voice interrupted and she turned Niourou around towards the source of the voice . “He just passed through here only a day ago.” The voice belonged to a broad man whose arms were wrapped in bandages, and his feet were uncovered. And earth bender soldier. “He called himself the prince of the Fire Nation. Nearly burned down the village and killed me. He was a mad man. Never seen anyone fight with so much rage. Those Fire Nation animals.”

  
Tiani grinned and tossed him a coin. He greedily grabbed it. “Excellent. Now if you could point us in the right direction, I--we--would be much obliged.”

“With pleasure, they went that way.”

She thanked both the soldier and the merchant and spurred her mount forward. They were close. Only a day behind him. They could catch him. She just wondered where he was heading. Where was he going? Or did he not even know the answer himself?

  
“He’s not that far ahead,” Iroh commented. “If we use our time wisely, we can probably catch up with him.”

  
Oh the irony. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.

They rode all day and during the night as well. Only stopping to rest, eat, and drink for a couple hours at a time. She was not going to waste sunlight. No amount of whining from Iroh could stop her. For such a wise old man, he was incredibly annoying, constantly moaning and groaning about his sore joints and asking if Niourou could go at a smoother pace.

  
“Why did my nephew have to travel so far?” He complained. “Why did he have to leave?”

  
“Your nephew is an irresponsible and idiotic. He ought to listen to you more often,” Tiani said, observing the area around her. She had never ventured this far before, mainly preferring the comfort and cover of the forests over the dry desserts. Her lack of knowledge of this terrain made her uneasy.

  
“One can only wish,” Iroh laughed throatily. “But my nephew has always been more of an independent type, preferring to work alone and do things by himself. He is extremely proud and sometimes very arrogant and rude, but he is still a young man who is trying to find his place is this world.”

  
Tiani pulled her mask up farther over her nose. “He’s changed so much since I last saw him when we were kids.”

  
“Keep in mind you were only twelve at the time,” Iroh pointed out. “People can change a lot over the course of four years. And from the looks of it, the two of you were forced to grow up faster than the average child.”

  
He was right. She had been forced to act older than how she really was at far too young an age. All thanks to her despicable parents and their abhorrent grooming styles.  
Tiani eyed a large hill up ahead dotted with bushes. It was high enough that it would provide them with a bird’s eye view of their surroundings, and a fair amount of cover, should they need it. She clicked her tongue and steered them towards it, stopping halfway up at a flat area.

  
“I’m going to ride higher up. You can rest here and make us some tea or something,” She told the weary old man that sat behind her. Iroh let out a long sigh and slid off Niourou’s back, rubbing his rear. She handed him the bag that held his tea supplies. “Don’t go anywhere. I won’t be long.”

  
Iroh waved as she rode higher up the hill. Up to the very top where the win tore the hood off her head and blew the flyaway strands of her hair that had escaped from her brain in her face. Her sights were on the small run down town hardly two miles up ahead. It would be a perfect pit stop for a weary traveler such as Zuko. All she had to do was watch and wait.

  
She snatched the last dried mango slice from her sack and took a seat on a log, enjoying her few moments of quiet. No complaining and moaning from Iroh, and no horrible tea jokes. She grimaced. There was a reason she liked to travel and work alone.

  
Her eyes were starting to become heavy and before she knew it she had dozed off, her head propped up by her elbow on her knee. It wasn’t until a breeze made her hair tickle her nose that she started awake, the dried mango slice falling from her hand ( Niourou happily enjoyed it himself). She leapt to her feet and looked out at the village, only to see bursts of blue flame rising up into the sky, followed by low sounding booms. There was only one firebender she knew who could summon blue flames...  
And then she spotted it, an ostrich horse riding through the desert. Headed straight for the village. It had to be him.

  
“Zuko,” She murmured to herself. Her mount was ready as she swung herself into the saddle and raced down the hill to where Iroh was pouring a cup of tea.  
“Oh, Tiani, I was wondering when you were coming back--GAHH!” He let out a surprised cry as she grabbed and heaved him into the saddle. “Why are we running so fast?!”  
“I spotted Zuko.” Was her only response.

  
The first thing she saw was Zuko lying unconscious beside a pile of rubble, the blue fire, and a young monk with a blue arrow on his forehead. The sight baffled her. An airbender? She tore her attention away paid and launched herself from the saddle, breaking her fall with a roll and then charged for firebender, her own flames bursting from her fingertips.

  
Azula turned just in time to dodge the fireballs that were aimed for her. The golden eyes she shared with her brother widened at the sight of the masked woman who did a back handspring over her head and landed between her and the airbender. She assumed a protective stance over the still knocked out Zuko.  
“Long time no see, Azula,” She greeted, sliding into a defensive position where she could keep an eye on both the air nomad and the princess. “Miss me?”

  
“Tiani? Is that you? What--” Azula’s voice was filled with disbelief but her emotions were quickly wiped and replaced an air of indifference, and a cruel smile. How was it that she was only fifteen? “Nevermind. I would appreciate it if you moved aside and let me have the Avatar. He’s wanted by the Fire Nation. And might as well throw in my stupid brother too, I guess.”

  
The airbender was the Avatar? But he looked to be no older than twelve or thirteen? From what she heard, the avatar had vanished off the face of the earth nearly a hundred years ago. How was he so young?

  
She pushed her thoughts from her mind and summoned a ball of fire to her hand. It didn’t matter. “Zuko’s with me. You can have the Avatar, but not him.”

  
“Hmm, looks like we don’t have an agreement.” Azula’s voice was hard and bored. As if she found the whole ordeal rather dull. “That’s fine. I don’t mind taking down two traitors.”

  
Tiani barely had enough time to deflect the younger firebender’s flurry of attacks before she was knocked down. Her body thrumming with adrenaline, she responded with her own onslaught, a wave of flame crashing down upon Azula, who easily protected herself. Again, Tiani was blasted backwards with another explosion. This one throwing her against a crumbling wall so hard, there was an audible crack from the stone as it broke. She groaned and tumbled to the ground, clutching her side and feeling a new stabbing pain in her ankle. It had been quite some time since she had used her firebending for combat and she cursed her rustiness.

  
Zuko stirred from where he lay, seemingly stunned and disoriented. Tiani hissed as she forced herself to get to her feet, her body aching and telling her not to get up. But Iroh had gotten to Zuko first. She limped over to the two of them and gave Iroh a halfhearted smile, even though he couldn’t see it. Zuko looked at both her and his uncle in surprise.

  
“W-what are you doing here?” He asked, looking both confused and relieved.

  
“No time for questions,” Tiani barked, her focus fixed on Azula who was busy fighting the airbender. And winning apparently. “We have a fight to win.”

  
Everything that followed felt like a blur. One second, it looked like the boy was about to be burned to a crisp, the next, there were three other people joining in the fight. All of them, except for one, not native to the Earth Kingdom, judging from their blue clothing and the fact that the girl could waterbend. Quite well from the looks of it. She wasn’t even going to mention the enormous furry white beast that flew in from the sky.

  
Iroh stepped forward as Azula ran in their direction. Not watching where she was going, she slammed into his stomach and bounced backwards, stunned. Realizing that she was completely surrounded she took several steps back, her hands up defensively.

  
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a real fight,” Tiani said in a low voice. Together, she, Iroh, Zuko, and the others stalked towards the Fire Nation princess who was now cornered up against a blown up building. She scanned all of them with her hawk-like eyes like a predator deciding whether or not they were worthy prey. There was not a hint of fear or desperation on her face, only scorn and resentment.

  
“Give up, Azula,” Tiani called out. “You’ve been defeated. Admit it.”

  
Azula sniffed at her. “And here I thought we were childhood friends. Tiani, darling, why after years of hiding do you finally come out and side, out of all people, with my brother and obnoxious uncle?” The way she wrinkled her nose made her feel like a bug about to be squashed by a boot. “We had so much fun together as kids. Why not have some more fun with you joining me? We could use a skilled bender like yourself.”

  
She could feel the others all watching her. Waiting for her response.

  
Now that she thought about it, Mai and Azula had never really been her friends. She had forced herself to consider them friends so that she didn’t feel so alone and isolated. That and her parents wanted her interacting with upper class citizens.

  
Ty Lee and Zuko were quite possibly the only people she would have called friends. But Zuko never talked to her when she was with Mai and Azula, and Ty Lee hung out more with the two of them than she did with her. So she usually kept to herself.

  
Azula and Mai were also quite cruel to her at times, pulling on her hair as she tried to read, throwing plants on her head, and Azula even burned one of the books she had been studying. It had been an old book that her firebending master, Shyshou, had let her borrow. She remembered crying for hours, thinking that he would be so mad at her when all he did was sigh and comfort her.

  
“I’ve chosen my side, Azula,” She bit out. “I suggest leaving and going back to yours.”

  
Zuko’s sister chuckled to herself, taking her eyes off of her to look at the others that were all surrounding her. “Well look at this. Enemies and traitors all working together.” Tiani didn’t miss the way her eyes flicked to her at the word “traitors”. “I’m done.” Azula lifted her hands into the air in surrender. “I’m beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor.”

  
Tiani scoffed, not buying the act for a second. “You’re a lot of things, Azula, but you’ve never been an actress. And you’ve never had any honor to begin with.”

  
A sadistic smile spread across Azula’s face and the world seemed to stop. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. She saw the streak of blue flame shoot from the princess’s fingers and fly past her face, hitting Iroh in the chest and sending him to the ground. Zuko screamed. And she might have too.

  
The others attacked, sending a mixture of fire, air, and earth (and a boomerang) to where Azula stood. But as the dust cleared, she had vanished. Leaving nothing behind.  
Tiani ran to Iroh’s side, her hands covering her mouth as her shoulders heaved with unsuppressed emotion. There was a charred spot on his chest where the flame had struck him and she turned away as the smell of burned flesh hit her nose.

  
Zuko’s whole body was shaking with rage, his jaw clenched and a murderous look in his eyes. He didn’t acknowledge the others as they cautiously approached the three of them.

  
Iroh groaned in pain and Tiani carefully pulled his head into her lap, but her focus was on Zuko and how he would react. It wouldn’t end well.

  
Finally Zuko turned his body to address them, his shoulders shaking. “Get away from us!” He yelled.

  
The waterbender girl took a tentative step forward, blue eyes filled with emotion and sympathy. “Zuko, I can help--”

  
“LEAVE!” the prince roared, unleashing a wave of fire into the air in his fit of rage.

  
“Zuko, they just want to help--” Tiani started but he cut her off.

  
“I don’t want their help! I don’t need it!”

  
The avatar watched her as he and the others climbed onto the furry white beast. She held his gaze, even as he took to the sky and flew away. Tiani had always been good at reading other peoples’ emotions. And the look on the young boy’s face had been as easy as reading a book. _Who are you? Why are you with Zuko?_ He had seemed to say to her. She hoped her response to his question was in her eyes as well.

  
_I don’t know…_

  
“Hold on uncle, you’re going to be okay--we’re going to help you and you’re going to get better, I-I promise.” Zuko stumbled over his words, his lip quivering and his eyes becoming misty. The desperation and panic in his voice made her heart clench painfully.

  
“Iroh, I need you to listen to me,” Tiani said calmly. Slowly, the old man’s eyes opened. “Are you able to ride?”

  
“Are you insane?!” Zuko exclaimed furiously. “Of course he’s not able to ride, he’s hurt! Do you want him to be in pain?!”

  
“We don’t have a choice!” She snapped. “Either we stay here in the dirt or we take him to a safe place where he can rest and heal.” Zuko clamped his mouth shut. Tiani turned her attention back to iroh. “Are you able to ride, yes or no?”

  
The wounded man grimaced but nodded. Tiani took a breath and carefully helped him to his feet, working past the several barks of pain he let out. Zuko supported his other side and together, they led him to where Niourou was waiting for them. With the utmost care, they assisted him as he heaved himself into the saddle. Tiani slid in behind him to hold the reins and provide more support.

  
Zuko mounted his own ostrich bird and came up beside her. “I saw an old house not far from here. We can stay there until uncle gets better. If he gets better.” He muttered the last part to himself but Tiani heard it.

  
“He will get better,” she promised him. “Just lead the way.”

  
The scarred prince’s face was grim but he nodded and took off into the desert with her following close behind.


	7. Chapter 6

Zuko was right. There was a small run down shack at the top of a small mountain. The poor place looked just as tired as she was. But at least it was safe. For now.

Iroh had passed out on the ride there, whether it was from the pain or just the ride itself, she didn’t know. All she cared about was that they had a place to stay for a day or two until Iroh got better.

They brought him inside and laid out a blanket for him to lay on. After that, they dressed his wound, wrapping bandages around his chest, and shoulder. Tiani pursed her lips. He had been lucky. The burn he had wasn’t as bad as it could have been. And he was fortunate that Azula hadn’t used her lightning instead. She shuddered. That would have an entirely different story.

Her work finished, Tiani sat back and assessed her own injuries, lifting up the hem of her tunic to reveal a large purple bruise that covered where her body had hit the wall she had been thrown into. She inspected it tentatively, hissing when she touched it.

“I think it’s just bruised,” Zuko commented. “Your ribs, I mean. If you had a broken one you’d know. Trust me.”

She snorted. “Are you a doctor or something?”

“No. I just know from experience. Azula’s definition of playing doesn’t exactly fit with mine.” He handed her the roll of bandages. “Here, you should bind it up.”

“Thanks,” she said slowly, taking it from him and beginning to wrap it around her injury. Zuko looked away, his cheeks reddening, much to her amusement.

“You both came looking for me. I mean, I’m not surprised uncle came but you came too. Why?” He inquired, still avoiding eye contact.

Tiani ripped the bandage from the roll with her teeth and pulled her tunic back down, mainly for the sake of the scarred prince who was sitting in front of her. She thought for a moment, trying to find the right words. “Listen, I felt bad for my outburst when you told me you were leaving. Iroh filled me in on everything that happened to you. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m the one that should be apologizing,” Zuko insisted. “Leaving was the wrong choice. I realize that now.”

She stared at him. At his scar that he had no trouble hiding, that he had no shame for. He was so much more confident than she was. He had so much determination and ambition. If only she’d had that confidence four years ago. Things would have been a lot different. Instead she chose to run away. Run away from her problems and insecurities with her heart contained in a box of iron that had no key.

The heat gathering behind her mask was becoming unbearable. With shaky hands, she removed it and tossed it aside for the time being. Let him judge. Let him stare and recoil at the sight of her scars. She grabbed her water pouch and took a swig. “It seems like I’m going to be travelling with the two of you from now on. It’s only a matter of time before you eventually saw.”

“Your scars make you stronger,” Zuko told her, touching his burn. “Every time I see mine, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come. I’ve gotten past feeling ashamed of it.” When she didn’t respond he changed the subject. “How about we start over. Our last meeting didn’t go so well. Sound good?”

She gave him a small smile. “Yeah. it does.”

They lapsed into silence and Tiani yawned, the exhaustion weighing on her. Her eyes drooped and she took this time to roll over on her side, her back facing Zuko. She was too tired to carry on a conversation. Lazily, she unbuckled her belt from around her waist and pushed it away. After that, she passed out.

The smell of something sweet and fragrant woke her from her dreamless sleep. She groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes, a confused look on her face when she saw Zuko pouring three cups of tea. How long had she been asleep? And why was Zuko making tea?

She looked over at Iroh who was still out cold. “How long have I been asleep?”

“All night,” he replied. “I made some tea. Do you want some? It’s jasmine--at least I think it’s jasmine. I made it for Uncle when he wakes up. I’m not sure if I did it right but...”

“It smells good. I’m sure it’s fine.” The steaming liquid did smell very nice, but not at all like jasmine. But she took it from him anyway and took a sip. She instantly regretted it. There was no way whatever he had brewed was jasmine tea. The foul liquid tasted like feet and something sickly sweet. Quite possibly the worst tea she had ever tasted. Nevertheless, she forced herself to swallow and give him an satisfied smile. “Mmm delicious.” Poor Iroh.

As if on cue, the old man stirred, his grey brows knitted together.

“Uncle!” Zuko exclaimed coming to his side. “You were unconscious. Azula did this to you. It was a surprise attack.”

The injured man winced in pain as he pulled himself into sitting position, gratefully accepting the cup of tea Zuko handed to him. “Somehow that is not so surprising.”

Zuko sat back on his knees, watching his uncle hold the cup of tea. “I hope I made it the way you liked it.” Tiani tried to get Iroh’s attention by shaking her head and dragging her index finger along her neck but she was too late. He took a sip and his face contorted in disgust, his whole body shuddering and eyes bulging. Somehow, he managed to mask it behind a much too large grin. “Mmm good.” For emphasis he braved another sip and shivered. “That was very...uh...bracing.” His nephew took his empty cup and handed him another full one. Once Zuko turned his back, he swiftly tossed the contents out the open window.

“So uncle,” Zuko started, “I’ve been thinking. It’s only a matter of time before we run into Azula again. I and Tiani are going to need to know more advanced firebending if we want to stand a chance against her.” His shoulders sagged. “I know what you’re going to say: She’s my sister and I should be trying to to get along with her--”

“No. She’s crazy and she needs to go down,” Iroh cut in abruptly, taking both her and Zuko by surprise. He grunted as he got to his feet. “It’s time to resume your training. And yours too, Tiani, if you wish.”

The assassin gladly accepted and slid over by Zuko so she was sitting in front of Iroh. “When can we begin?”

A glint appeared in Iroh’s warm eyes and he gestured at the teapot sitting on top of the fire. “Lightning is a pure expression of firebending, without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire.” He leaned over and poured the tea into a separate pot and then poured it into three cups. “It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind.”

Peace of mind. Tiani’s hands clenched tightly around the cup. She would lying to herself if she said that her mind was peaceful. It was the exact opposite. Ever since she had run away and left her family, her life had been anything but peaceful. From the look on Zuko’s face, he was thinking the exact same thing. Tiani only had one thing that kept her grounded and focused. And that was the thought of revenge. Although she found herself softening around the two other firebenders, she would never rest until the person that scarred her paid for what they did. And she was not going to go easy on them. It was a gruesome method of finding concentration but it worked. It gave it a feeling of purpose and a drive. Maybe she could use it to channel lightening. It was worth a try.'

Zuko looked down at his cup of tea. “I see. That’s why we're drinking tea: To calm the mind.” Tiani’s nose crinkled. Calm wasn’t the first word that came to mind upon drinking Zuko’s foot smelling beverage.

Iroh blinked and then smiled widely. “Oh yeah, good point--I mean yes.”

“My old master, Shyshou, was in the middle of teaching me how to produce lightning before I left,” Tiani mentioned. “I haven’t practiced in years. And my bending is a little rusty. My fight with Azula was proof of that. If Azula really is going to try and hunt us down, I want to be ready.”

“Ah I am good friends with your master. I haven’t seen him in quite some time. And your fight with Azula was a little choppy but I could tell from your movements that you are quite skilled. The fact that Shyshou was teaching you how to bend lightning when you were only thirteen is quite impressive. A little bit of training and you will be a true opponent, especially against Azula,” Iroh assured her warmly. “Let’s go outside so we can start practicing.” He touched her on the shoulder as they moved outside. “I want to see you first. I want to see how much you already know. Then we will continue on to bending lightning.”

“What do you want me to do uncle?” Zuko asked, looking a little lost and just a tad bit jealous. “Just sit and watch?”

Iroh smirked mischievously. “While I wouldn’t consider you an advanced bender, my nephew, I would like to see how you compare with Tiani. That is why I’m making you her opponent.”

Tiani stretched her arms and legs. She had been unprepared during her duel with Azula and although she had left a bit bruised and battered, the thrill of the fight still thrummed in her veins. The scarred girl never considered herself a very violent person. Not like Azula or even Zuko, but there was a twisted and malicious side of her that enjoyed the feel of adrenaline and rage as she fought another person...and usually won. Ever since she had been little, she had been very quiet, watching on the sidelines. It was one of the reasons why she had always been nominated as point keeper during competitions and games. That and her parents had strictly told her not to dirty her hands and keep them soft and smooth. Free of calluses. Either way, she excelled at observing and calculating.

Her body groaned in protest as she slid in position but she ignored it. Physical pain was only temporary. Zuko seemed reluctant to fight her but he assumed his stance and sent a stream of fire straight towards her. Tiana easily redirected it by using a sweeping motion with her hands and sent it back towards Zuko, who absorbed it and changed tactics. This time sending a series of fire missiles.

Tiani cartwheeled out of the way and responded with both her hands outstretched, unleashing two streams of fire. The buzzing sound in her ears grew louder and she pushed harder against Zuko, who had created a shield from his own flame.

 _More. More. Defeat him_ , the voice in her head seemed to whisper to her.

End him.

_Strike him down._

No.

_Do it. He is weak._

NO.

She let go and extinguished her fire, chest heaving. It was not time. Not yet at least.

“Excellent, Tiani! I’m impressed,” Iroh praised, slapping her on the back as she bent over to catch her breath. “For not practicing for three years, you have shown you have quite some skill.”

“I wasn’t ready,” Zuko grumbled, brushing himself off and scowling. “She took me by surprise. I call for a rematch.”

“You just don’t like that you were beaten by a girl,” Tiani snickered. “Just admit it. I smoked you. Quite literally.”

Zuko balled his fists and snarled at her. “You-you--”

Iroh stepped in between them, grinning. “That’s enough you two. I think we’ve warmed up enough. Let’s move onto bending lightning, shall we?”

Tiani chose to watch the two of them instead of participating. She knew that if she were to take part, it wouldn’t end well. It was obvious that she didn’t possess a peaceful state of mind and she was terrified that she would lose control like she almost had with Zuko. Fortunately, she had prevented anything from happening. Ever since the incident, she’d had issues regarding control. There was so much anger and resentment within herself, and the only way she could release it was through fighting, whether it was a simple brawl or an actual duel. It didn’t matter who she fought, either way she felt her rage bubble and boil inside her, threatening to burst free like water against a dam. It scared her...but also comforted her at the same time.

There was an incident from her past where she lost control with a disrespectful man. He taunted her and threatened her and she had just...she saw red. And when she finally gained control of her thoughts and actions and saw what she had done…

Tiani squeezed her eyes shut at the memory and watched as Iroh sent a bolt of lightning into the air, the energy snapping like some sort of vengeful whip. It shot across the sky, looking as if the world was a piece of broken class for one moment.

Zuko watched his uncle with awe and determination. “I’m ready to try it.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” She asked from where she stood behind them. “You only watched him once.” Iroh grunted in agreement. “Tiani is right. Are you sure you don’t want to watch a few more demonstrations?”

Zuko nodded. “No. I’m ready. I want to try it.”

“If you get blown up it’s your fault for not listening to me,” She huffed, crossing her arms.

“Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first,” Iroh reminded him wisely.

Both Iroh and Tiani observed Zuko as he mimicked his uncle, but no lightning trailed after his fingers during his motions. With a cry, he threw his arm outward to project the energy into the sky. But the only thing that happened was a loud explosion that sent him flying backwards.

Tiani yelped as his body knocked her feet from underneath her and she landed on top of him in a tangled heap of arms and legs. Her injured side barked in protest as she tried to get back up. Her lip curled in anger and she finally managed to shove him away from her. They both glared at each other vehemently, each looking like they were going to bash the other’s skull open. Tiani was pretty tempted to do just that.

“Did you really have to stand right behind me?” Zuko fumed, his short dark hair sticking up from the explosion.

“I was standing a good twenty feet away,” Tiani argued, sticking her nose in the air. “If you ask me, you should have taken my advice and watched Iroh do some more demonstrations.”

“You really have the nerve to tell me how to do my lesson when you didn’t even take part in it,” He retaliated. They both got to their feet and shoved their faces into the other’s, their foreheads eventually connecting. “So you have no right to speak.”

“I know my limits,” She seethed through her teeth, their eyes deadlocked. Dark amber against striking gold. “Maybe you should learn yours.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“And you look like a sea urchin.”

Silence. Then Iroh began to laugh. It wasn’t a small chuckle or a giggle but a great booming laugh that had him holding his belly and keeling over. Two two firebenders watched him, puzzled. Iroh wiped a tear from his eye. “A sea urchin, ah that was a good one.” Then his smile vanished. “Zuko again. It will take many attempts but maybe you can get the hang of it. Let’s just try again.”

An hour passed and Zuko still hadn’t managed to produce a single spark, much to his frustration. He tried one last time and got knocked off his feet again. Tiani snickered and picked at her nails with her dagger, finding the whole thing very entertaining.

"Why can't I do it? Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face!” Zuko raged. He sighed in defeat and buried his face in his hands. “Like everything always does.”

“That’s kind of depressing,” Tiani commented from where she was leaning up against the wall.

Iroh sighed and stroked his beard. “I was afraid this might happen. You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you.”

Zuko turned towards him angrily. “What turmoil?!”

His Uncle replied calmly, “Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away.”

“But I don't feel any shame at all! I'm as proud as ever!” He insisted, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

“Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame,” Iroh said wisely and Tiani found herself listening in, her dagger hovering over her nail.

“Well...my life has been nothing but humbling lately,” the Prince admitted with a frown.

Tiani pushed herself off the wall and snorted. “You could say that again.” Her tone turned serious when she approached them, standing next to Zuko. “Iroh, both Zuko and I can’t create lightning. We have too much conflict within ourselves to have inner peace. I knew this already and that’s why I didn’t take part. But if we can’t match Azula’s lightning, what else can we do?”

Iroh pondered this for a moment, then he grinned at them both. “I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself!” He pointed his thumb at himself for emphasis. Zuko and Tiani exchanged looks and then smiled together.

“Hmm, I like the sound of this,” she said with raised eyebrows.

Iroh snatched a stick from off the ground and motioned for them to take a seat, which they did. He began drawing shapes in the dirt, the first one being the symbol of the Fire Nation. “Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want.” He began drawing a different shape, this one becoming the symbol for the Earth Kingdom. “The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring.” Then the Air Nomads. “Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!” Iroh gave them a very large grin but neither of them returned one. He went back to his lesson, drawing the symbol for the Water Tribes. “Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.”

“Why are you telling me these things?” Zuko asked in confusion.

Tiani slapped his arm and he rubbed it tenderly. “Don’t be rude!”

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale,” Iroh explained, taking the stick and drawing four lines between each of the symbols, separating them. “Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole.”

“All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff,” The scarred prince said suspiciously. Tiani looked up towards the sky, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But, it can make you more powerful too.” He poked his nephew in the chest with the stick. “You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders.”

“Oh!” Tiani exclaimed in excitement. “I remember Shyshou teaching me about something like this. He helped incorporate water bending movements into my form to enhance grace and agility.”

“Exactly!” Iroh said, poking her in the chest like he did with Zuko. “Learning motions and lessons about other elements, despite being drastically different from ours, can be exceptionally helpful.”

“So we’re learning how to use...different elements?” Zuko still looked lost.

“Not exactly.” Iroh winked. “Follow my movements.” Both she and Zuko fell in beside him, mirroring his actions. “Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning,” the older, wiser bender told them.

“Wha--” Tiani began but Zuko cut her off excitedly.

“You can teach us to redirect lightning?”

Iroh nodded. “If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it.” He showed them his extended arm that was pointed upwards, then at his other arm. “You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder and down into your stomach. The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case, it is more like a vast ocean!” Zuko remained stone faced and Tiani only rolled her eyes. “You direct it up again and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart.” He walked up to the two of them and pointed his fingers at their chests in warning. “Or the damage could be deadly.” Tiani shivered. “You may wish to try a physical motion to get a feel for the pathway's flow. Like this.” Iroh pointed upwards with one arm and then downwards with the other. She and Zuko copied him and then synced themselves with his motions. “Now, are you focusing your energy? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?”

“This isn’t that hard,” Tiani said. “I thought this trick would be a lot more challenging.”

“You’ll be thinking a lot differently when lightning is involved,” Iroh quipped with a sly grin. “Can you feel the chi though?”

“I think so,” Zuko replied, eyes narrowed in concentration.

“Come on. You’ve got to feel the flow!” Iroh’s movements were graceful, like a dance of some sort. He watched them both with satisfaction. “Excellent. You two have got it.” The three of them bowed to one another, all of them smiling. That was until Zuko spoke.

“Great! I’m ready to try it with real lightning!”

“Are you crazy? How stupid are you?” Tiani asked him, irritably. “Do you really expect him to just start shooting bolts of lightning at you? Do you have a death wish?”

“Lightning is very dangerous,” Iroh added.

Zuko frowned, obviously annoyed. “I thought that was the point: You teaching me how to defend myself from it.”

Tiani could have sworn she saw the old man’s eye twitch. “Yeah but I’m not going to shoot lightning at you!” He waved his arms around and then turned away, his voice softer and more controlled. “If you are lucky, neither of you will have to use this technique at all.”

Dark clouds had begun to form in the distance, carrying with it the scent of oncoming rain and the promise of a storm. Zuko saw it too and Tiani had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning,” he told them, mounting his ostrich horse and riding off towards the storm.

Tiani called out to him but Iroh put a hand on her shoulder. “Let him go, child. Sometimes, he has to learn things by himself.”

\----

It was late at night by the time Zuko returned. Iroh was already asleep, the fire they had made was nothing but coals now, and she was laying on her side with her back facing him. But she was not asleep. She had been awake for hours, waiting for him to come back.

Zuko hardly made a sound, even on the rotting floorboards and tip toed towards his mat, either not realizing that she was awake or just choosing not to acknowledge her.

She heard him remove his shirt, grimacing when it made a wet splat noise as he threw it away from him, and then covered himself with one of the thin blankets they had brought.

Unable to stop her curiosity she rolled over. “Zuko,” She whispered to him. “Zuko.”

He looked over at her from over his shoulder. There was a haunted look in his golden eyes that unsettled her.

“What happened?” She asked him, concerned.

The scarred prince said nothing and put his head back down to go to sleep, leaving her wondering and unable to fall asleep.

He never told her what had happened that night.


	8. Chapter 7

Iroh woke the next morning, jolly as ever. He loudly boasted about how his body healed far faster than the average person, even if he was an old man, and that he felt strong enough to take on Ozai himself and not the Avatar. That confidence didn’t last long.

Seeing that his Uncle was feeling better, Zuko made the smart decision to move on, swiftly packing up their supplies and helping Iroh onto his ostrich horse. Tiani agreed and did the same, mounting Niourou and riding along beside him. The two of them exchanged challenging smiles. Tiani and Zuko had both placed bets on how long it would take before Iroh would start complaining. Both had bickered about which one was the most realistic, Tiani betting that it would be less than an hour, and Zuko believing that it would be around midday before the whining began.

Let the game begin.

\--------

Zuko won, much to her displeasure.

The sun was quite high in the sky by the time Iroh started moaning and groaning about his injury, obviously over exaggerating every time, his mount took a single step. He threw her a triumphant smirk with one raised brow and Tiani tossed him three gold coins which he proudly caught and stuffed in his pocket. Tiani glowered at him.

“Maybe we should make camp,” Zuko suggested after Iroh’s complaining got on his nerves.

“You don’t look so good,” Tiani added, still peeved about her betting loss.

“No, please, don't stop for me!” Iroh said dramatically, his voice strained. They continued on. That was until the old man let out several more pained, overdramtic groans. Zuko and Tiani both grimaced and pulled on the reins, giving Iroh a moment to dismount and sit on a flat rock along the side of the road.

“I’m going to find a way to get my money back,” Tiani sassed, her voice low to avoid being overheard by Iroh. “I don’t like losing.”

“That’s a shame because I like winning,” Zuko retorted, holding out his hand to display her three coins and then snatching his it away when she went to take them from him. “I wonder what I should buy now that I have some money to spend.” He made a show of counting them in front of her tauntingly.

“Now you’re just being cruel,” she grumbled, crossing her arms, still unable to stop the small smile that tugged at her lips.

Niourou suddenly lifted his head in alarm, looking around warily, his plumage fluffing up defensively. Zuko’s mount did the same.

“Something’s coming,” Tiani said, pulling up her mask, and her hand automatically gripping the hilt of her dao sword.

Zuko scowled in annoyance. “What now?”

That question was quickly answered when multiple rhinos burst from the foliage around them, their riders looking just as fierce as the beasts. The soldiers were obviously Fire Nation, judging from the bright scarlet red they wore and the rather interesting hairstyles.

Tiani leaned over to whisper in Zuko’s ear. “Zuko, look at that guy’s hair. When he tells a person how tall he is, do you think it’s with the ponytail or without the ponytail?” He didn’t seem to find her joke funny and slid into a defensive stance, ready to firebend.

Iroh sidled up beside the two of them and placed a calming hand on his nephew’s shoulders. “Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!” He greeted them like they were old childhood friends. Tiani frowned in confusion.

The leader, Colonel Mongke, the one with the ugly haircut, sneered at Iroh in distaste. “If you're surprised we're here then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps.”

“Watch it,” she growled threateningly.

“You know these guys?” Zuko asked, still confused.

Iroh didn’t seem fazed by the five warriors that surrounded them, instead he smiled widely. “Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapons specialist. They are also a very capable singing group.”

“A what?” Tiani exclaimed, now even more confused.

“We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives!” The Colonel boomed, clearly running out of patience.

“Me a fugitive?” Tiani pointed to herself. “I’ve never been hunted before. This should be interesting.”

“The Black Tigress is no longer an Ally to the Fire Nation,” Colonel Mongke snarled viciously, nostrils flaring. “For choosing to side with two traitors, you are therefore a criminal.”

“A criminal?! That’s a little harsh don’t you think?” She unsheathed her sword and spun it in her hands. “How about you get off your rhino and see how much of a criminal I can be.”

The soldier’s lips pulled back at her challenge, revealing his teeth. “Why I ought to pummel you into the ground!”

Iroh intervened, his voice light. “Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kachi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?”

The Colonel snapped, finally releasing the tether on his patience. “Enough stalling! Round 'em up!” Tiani quickly chose her target, and attacked. Her target was large and armored, his face concealed behind a thick metal helmet. Tricky. She liked challenges. She flipped over his head and landed on the other side of his rhino before channeling her energy and releasing a ball of fire, aiming it directly at his head. The armored soldier grunted and fell back in his saddle, but not before he tried to grab her as she leapt on top of his rhino. She easily avoided him by sidestepping and prepared herself to give the final blow, holding her sword above her head and bringing it down. To her delight, the soldier wasn’t giving up just yet. He raised his armored arms and crossed them to block her strike, his arms shaking as she pressed against him. Her delight was short lived when he broke the hold, causing her to stumble forwards. He shoved her off the rhino and she landed in a crouch, furious.

Not far away, an archer pulled back on his bow, a flaming arrow pointed right at Zuko’s unprotected back. Tiani noticed this.

“Zuko behind you!” She yelled, getting his attention. He managed to whirl around just in time to intercept the arrow as it was shot at him.

Together, she and Zuko sent their own fire blast directed at the archer, breaking apart his bow. Tiani let out an animalistic snarl as she launched herself at the archer, who managed to unsheathe his sword in time before she was upon him, their blades screeching as they slid against each other, sparks flying in either direction.

“Tiani let’s go!” She heard Zuko shout. Her jaw clenched and she reluctantly pulled her blade away and flipping backwards into the saddle of her mount, gripping the reins and digging her heels into his sides and urging him forward.

She heard the Rough Rhinos roaring furiously behind her and Niourou sprinted away, easily catching up with Iroh and Zuko.

Zuko turned to look behind him and his eyes widened. “Look out!” He yelled, throwing one arm back as the armored soldier threw a grenade towards them and absorbing the explosion with his bending.

They raced through the wall of smoke and down the road. There was no way the Rough Riders would be able to catch them. Komodo Rhinos were powerful and deadly, but not fast. That’s where they had the advantage.

“It’s nice to see old friends,” Iroh said lightheartedly.

“They didn’t seem like friends to me,” Tiani grouched, wondering how on earth the old man could be so positive. Too much positivity made her feel ill. “Usually friends don’t try to blow you up with a grenade. Do correct me if I’m wrong.”

“Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you,” Zuko said wryly, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Iroh took a moment to ponder this, his eyes thoughtful. “Hmm... Old friends that don't want to attack me…”

“Uncle, you’re wanted by both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. We have no allies except for her.” Zuko jabbed a thumb in her direction.

“Hey! I have a name!” Tiani sputtered in outrage, yanking down her mask. “And you also fail to remember that I happened to have saved your life back there. The least you could do is say thank you.”

“Fine! Thank you. There, you happy?” His tone was almost mocking and it infuriated her.

“Not until you say it sincerely,” She snapped, sticking her nose up in the air.

“That’s quite enough, you two,” Iroh intervened, breaking up the quarrel. “Let’s continue going and hope that we come across a town or something.” He looked over at Tiani. “I don’t mean to offend you, child, but I think it would be best if you removed your mask for the time being. I know that you feel uncomfortable without it, but the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom soldiers are looking for you. With your mask, it gives you away. I hope you understand what I’m saying--”

“It’s fine,” She told him, reaching up and removing it and shoving it in her bag with more force than necessary. “I get it.” The panic rising in her chest was smothering. People were going to stare. They were going to look and point and whisper and wonder. They would wonder what had happened to her face. Who or what did it to her? How did it happen? Would children hide from her? Would babies cry?

She touched her face self consciously. The doctors had told her that she was fortunate. That she was lucky she hadn’t died and that the scars weren’t upraised.

Lucky.

They had told her she was _lucky_.

Like she was lucky that her family wanted nothing to do with her after the incident.

Lucky that the person that did it to her wasn’t caught and brought to justice.

But she remembered. She would always remember. Never forgive and never forget.

Without a second thought, she ripped her cloak from her neck, tearing the clasp from it and throwing the cloak behind them in the dust. Her eyes swam with emotions as she looked down at the clasp, at the three black lines. The identity she had been living as for the past three years.

When Iroh and Zuko weren’t looking she slipped it in her pocket.

“Hey look, a town!” Iroh pointed up ahead to a small town. There were a few people milling about and the buildings were molded from mud. A sad excuse of an ice spring was placed in the center of the town. It wasn’t even a spring, more like a melting ice cube.

“It looks kind of...sad,” She commented. “Why do the buildings look like big piles of dung?”

“Let’s just stop here for now,” Iroh said. “Maybe we can find some friends!”

“By friends, do you mean our definition of friends or yours?” The sarcastic remark made by Zuko flew right over his uncle’s head.

They tethered their mounts outside the bar and hurried inside, trying not to be seen by anyone. Hopefully they didn’t look too suspicious.

Zuko and Tiani trudged in behind Iroh, both looking visibly perturbed. Tiani wrinkled her nose at the place, the people inside looking anything but friendly. And it smelled like mold. And feet. “Ugh, well this place looks fun, doesn’t it?”

They sat down at an empty table and Zuko adjusted his rice hat, looking around. “No one here is going to help us. These people just look like filthy wanderers.”

“So do we.” Tiani opened her mouth in protest but clamped it shut when she saw the dust and grime that covered her clothes. Good point. Iroh pointed to an old man sitting alone at a Pai Sho table who was sitting across from tem at the other side of the bar. “Ah, this is interesting. I think I've found our friend.”

“You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?” Zuko asked incredulously. He stared at Tiani as if she could provide a logical answer.

“I don’t think this is a gamble,” his uncle replied mysteriously, standing up and walking over to the old man. Zuko and Tiani followed him curiously. Interested in what Iroh meant and how an old man could possibly help them. The lone player looked up at them as they approached and Iroh gestured at the board. “May I have this game?” The old man nodded, watching Iroh carefully.

“The guest has the first move.” His eyes flickered as Iroh placed a white lotus tile in the center of the board. “I see you favor the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways.”

“Those who do can always find a friend.” Tiani tilted her head to the side at Iroh’s words. Was he using some sort of secret code? What was he playing at?

The old Pai Sho player clasped his hands together. “Then let us play.”

Tiani took a seat next to Zuko, who was watching the two intently, his eyes following their every move, every tile placement, trying to figure out each of the players’ strategies. She however, became incredibly bored, propping her head in her hand and staring at the wall, yawning in disinterest. When she became bored of the wall, she took to annoying Zuko instead.

Slowly she lifted her finger and then poked him in the cheek with her index finger. _Poke_. Disappointed by his lack of reaction, she did it again. _Poke_. And again. _Poke_. And again. _Poke._

Zuko swatted her hand away in irritation. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?” She asked innocently, keeping her voice just above a whisper. A minute went by and she jabbed him in his jaw with her finger. _Poke_.

He growled and grabbed her wrist, his eyes burning. “That. Stop _that_. I’m trying to watch.”

Her dark amber eyes glowed with a challenge and she smirked at him, batting her eyelashes and leaning forward to whisper in his ear. “Make me.” She could’ve sworn Zuko shivered.

“Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets.”

“The white what now?” Tiani inquired, her wrist still being held by Zuko. She stared at the board in bewilderment. The two men had not played a proper game of Pai Sho. Instead they had created the shape of a large lotus flower using the tiles.

“What are you old gasbags talking about?” Zuko asked impatiently.

Tiani slapped his shoulder with her free hand. “Don’t be rude!” She scolded.

Iroh winked at them and rolled the white lotus tile over his knuckles. “I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game.”

The sound of a chair being shoved back aggressively made her look over her shoulder. She cursed under her breath when she saw two men watching them intently. One of them, a tall hulking man with bulging muscles and long dark hair was standing up, looking like he wanted to crush them with his bare hands. The other man wore expensive robes and seemed to have a permanent sneer slapped on his face. It had been the large hulking man that had been the one to shove his chair back. He made several threatening steps towards them. “I'm not waiting all night for these geezers to finish yapping! It's over! You three fugitives are coming with me!” He thundered and Tiani winced, rubbing her ears with her free hand. Why Zuko still held her wrist, she didn’t know.

The old Pai Sho player shot to his feet and pointed at them accusingly, “I knew it! You two are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!”

“I have a giant bounty on my head?” Tiani beamed, a large grin spreading across her face.

“I thought you said he would help!” Zuko snapped at his uncle, finally letting go of her wrist as they both stood.

“He is, just watch.” Iroh whispered to them both, nudging Zuko with his shoulder. “You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?” The elderly player said loudly. Loud enough so that the entire bar could hear.

They did.

Every single customer stopped what they were doing to stare at them.

Tiani swallowed, the blood draining from her face. Spirits save her. She was so dead. The Black Tigress AKA Tiani Huang: Died violently in a bar within the Earth Kingdom--her body was never found.

They attacked all at once. All of them coming at her from all angles. She shut her eyes tight and inhaled sharply when she felt a hand grab her arm and pull her from the chaos.

“Tiani come on!”

Her eyes opened to see Zuko looking at her with worry. He tugged at her arm and pulled her out of the bar, suddenly tripping over his own feet and yanking her down with him.

She landed on top of him, her hands on his chest. She smiled with embarrassment. “Thanks.”

“Yeah,” He breathed, eyes locked with hers, almost like he was mesmerized.

“We really need to stop this from happening all the time,” She joked. “What is this, the third time?”

“Tiani, Zuko, hurry!” Iroh urged them. “We need to leave now!”

Zuko flushed and they awkwardly got off each other. This time it was Tiani who grabbed him, her hand holding his. Zuko looked startled at first, but she felt his hand tighten. Together, they ran off into the night.


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's FeFe again! Waking up to see that this story has surpassed 100 views made my day. So I just wanted to say how much I appreciate every one of you. I'm trying to upload a chapter a day (maybe If I'm feeling really nice I might even do two sometime) in order to keep a consistent schedule and I will tell you if anything changes that prevents me from doing so. 
> 
> Again thank you so much!  
> FeFe

___________________________

The old Pai Sho player led them to a small building in another town, near the edge of the desert, away from the bar. Away from the brawl. And away from her trusted mount. Tiani kept glancing over her shoulder, her heart heavy. They hadn’t had time to untether their birds. Niourou was still there. Another wave of worry washed over her when she remembered that her satchel was still hanging on the saddle. She wanted to slap herself! How could she have been so careless?

Her spirits were low when they entered the building, but she glanced around in interest, inhaling the comforting scent of soil and rain. Plants lined every square inch of wall and there were rows and rows of shelves that were crammed with a wide variety of flowers and bushes.

The Pai Sho player made sure the coast was clear, before shutting the door and bowing appreciatively. “It is an honor to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets.” Tiani’s ears perked. Her old Master, Shyshou, had mentioned the order on several occasions, but she had not thought of it as important, and made no attempt to listen. Apparently it was in fact more important than she thought. After all, one of its members had just saved their skins.

Zuko, on the other hand, was not feeling so humble and rudely butt in. “Now that you played Pai Sho,are you going to do some flower arranging, or is this club going to offer some real help?”

She tugged in his shirt sleeve and gave him a warning glare. “This man just risked his life to save ours. Be respectful.”

Iroh dipped his head apologetically. “You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts.”

“You can say that again,” Tiani muttered under her breath, not missing how Zuko bared his teeth at her.

There was a wooden door at the back of the store. Shining under it, a warm yellow light could be seen. The Pai Sho player knocked sharply and a small window at eye height slid open to reveal a pair of eyes peering at them. Tiani jumped, and took a step back, bumping into Zuko who steadied her and helped her regain her balance. Her cheeks burned and she moved away from him.

“Who knocks at the guarded gate?” The doorman asked.

“One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries,” Iroh answered confidently. The door opened, and the Pai Sho player and Iroh entered. Zuko went to go in as well but he was met with the door slamming in his face. She snickered at him.

The small window opened again and Iroh’s eyes looked at his nephew. “I’m afraid it’s members only,” He told him. “Wait out here with Tiani.”

It shut again and then was silent.

“Well,” Tiani sighed, “looks like we might be here for a while. Got any ideas on how we could entertain ourselves?” Her expression was unimpressed when Zuko chose to ignore her and instead sniff a plant. “Good idea, sea urchin, let’s just sniff all the plants in here.” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

“Don’t call me that. I hate nicknames,” he growled, crossing his arms.

She picked at her nails lazily and leaned up against one of the columns that was on either side of the door. “All the more reason to call you them.”

He changed the subject, jutting his chin towards the door, and what was beyond it. “What do you think they’re talking about in there?”

She didn’t look up from her nails and shrugged. “I don’t know. Anything I guess. Whatever it is, it’s private information and none of our business unless Iroh chooses to tell us himself.”

“Why are you such a party pooper?” Zuko grouched, his features pinched.

“Have you ever thought that maybe I’m just more mature than you?” She retaliated, keeping her features controlled and even, but her eyes stormy.

“You sound like my sister, Azula,” He said bitterly, the shadows cast by his rice hat concealing his face. “So perfect. Always rising to the top and never making any mistakes. When all I ever do is mess up...and again...and again...and again.”

Tiani felt like this should have insulted her, instead, all it did was make her soften and sympathize.

Her shoulders sagged and she moved over to stand beside him, touching him lightly on the arm. “Zuko, we are built off of our mistakes. We grow and we learn from them. And hopefully we pass on our lessons to the next generation. No one is perfect. Not you, not me, not even your sister. I am still healing. I am still hurting. And so are you. Our mistakes make us who we are and who we are supposed to be. They are the building blocks of our lives. Zuko, look at me.” She tentatively touched the side of his face and turned it towards her. “We are still building. We will never stop building.”

Zuko gave her a small smile. “You sound a bit like my uncle.”

She returned the smile and poked him in the cheek. “I hope that’s a compliment, for your sake.”

They laughed a little and then fell into silence, each enjoying the other’s company for once. It was a good feeling, actually getting along with him. Tiani had been disappointed when all they tended to do was bicker and disagree. Zuko hadn’t been as stubborn when they were younger.

Zuko took a seat on the floor and she followed. He coughed and then looked at her. “I knew it was you behind your mask the minute you told me that I didn’t speak much. Do you know why?” She shook her head. “Because that was the very first thing you said to me when we first met, do you remember?”

Indeed she did. She remembered everything as if it was yesterday. Spirits, she could practically spell the blooming flowers in the royal gardens.

_____________________

_Her mother and the Princess of the Fire Nation had been talking for what felt like hours and she was incredibly bored. She chose to sit on the ground and poke at the ants that had unfortunately decided to walk by with a small stick, giggling when they scurried out of the way to avoid being squished._

_“Yes, Tiani is seven now,” Her mother was saying. “She’s becoming quite a handful. We have to keep a close eye on her at home. She tends to fool around during her lessons.” Tiani felt hands pull her up under her harms and put her back on her feet. “Even now she would rather play with the bugs!”_

_Princess Ursa chuckled and gave Tiani a kind smile. “Such a pretty child. I’m sure that when she’s older she will have boys fighting to wed her from all corners of the Fire Nation.”_

_“Hopefully that is the case,” Her mother sighed. “So long as she doesn’t keep getting her clothes dirty and her hair messy.”_

_“I admire a child with spirit, Su Yin,” Ursa said. “My son, Zuko, is a little on the shy side.”_

_“Can I meet the young prince? Can I?! Can I?! Can I?!” Tiani asked excitedly, hopping up and down and pulling on her mother’s silk robes. “PLEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?”_

_Su Yin frowned at her daughter’s behavior. “Tiani Huang. A lady does not hop up and down and yell. Please show some respect,” she said tersely._

_The princess lifted a slender hand. “Su Yin, it’s quite alright. Zuko has been listening in on this conversation for quite some time now, haven’t you dear? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind joining us.” She turned and gestured towards someone. Tiani could hardly contain herself and covered her nose with her mother’s robes. The sound of soft feet could be heard, as if someone had run over. The princess murmured something she couldn’t hear and then a small face poked out from behind his mom, his golden eyes wide. “Zuko, dear, why don’t you come out and say hello?” Ursa asked her son, who shook his head vigorously and cowered from behind her. The princess shook her head apologetically. “My son is a little on the shy side. He doesn’t like meeting new people.”_

_“MOOOOOOOM,” Tiani whined, “Why doesn’t he want to come out? Make him come out!”_

_Sun Yin hushed her daughter sternly. “That’s enough. The poor boy is just a little overwhelmed.”_

_“Zuko, why don’t you say hello? This is Tiani Huang. She’s seven too. Maybe you’d like to play with her and make a new friend?” Ursa tried to coax the young prince out from behind her. “Come now, dear, be reasonable.”_

_Tiani was tired of waiting. She came over to the princess and peered at him, smiling widely. Zuko gasped when he saw her and ducked back behind his mother, tugging on her robes. She giggled and krept around the other way, smothering her laughter when she saw that the prince was peeking around where she had been but didn’t hear her coming up from behind him. “You don’t talk much do you?” She said bluntly._

_Young Zuko cried out in surprise, spinning around and falling hard on his rear. “Hey! Scaring people isn’t nice!”_

_“Eavesdropping isn’t nice either,” she retorted, crossing her arms and staring down at him._

_Zuko’s mouth opened and closed, unable to provide a comeback. He scowled and got to his feet, brushing himself off. The two children glared at each other before he ran off and disappeared._

__________________________________

“How could I forget?” She asked, smiling at the memory. “You were so shy and cute!” He slapped at her hands as she pushed off his rice hat and ruffled his hair playfully. “And even though I was only seven, I wanted to pinch your cheeks!” Then her thoughts turned sour and she sat back, shoulders slumped. “What happened to us?”

“We grew up,” Zuko answered depressingly. “You have to remember that we weren’t normal kids. We never got that chance.”

She nudged him. “Maybe we’ll get that chance. I believe that us finding each other again was not just luck. Something brought us together. And I think that it’s fitting that we get this second chance to almost start over in a way. Don’t you think?”

He bumped his leg against hers and she swallowed, suddenly realizing that their shoulders were pressed up against each other. “I do.”

The minutes ticked by and Tiani found herself absently touching her face, feeling the difference between smooth skin and scar tissue. Only one day without wearing her mask and she already felt naked, like she had been stripped bare for the whole world to see and judge… Around Iroh and Zuko, she didn’t feel so out in the open and exposed. It was probably because she and the prince both shared something similar. But he didn’t seem self conscious of it. How did he remain unbothered and confident?

He must've noticed her staring and looked at her suspiciously. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Why do you keep touching your face?”

She shoved her hands in her lap. “Am I?”

“Yeah. Is it because you’re not wearing your mask?”

Her face flushed. “I just don’t like the idea of everyone seeing my scars. Removing it didn’t seem as daunting with you and Iroh because I knew that you would have to see my face eventually.”

“They don’t look bad. I think they add to your face more than anything.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Your scars aren’t the first thing I noticed when I saw you--I mean I noticed them but not immediately--”

“What did you see first?” She asked, preventing him from continuing his rambling.

“Your eyes. When I first saw you in the woods not long ago, I saw you eyes and had a funny feeling. They just seemed so familiar...They were also the first thing I noticed when we were kids. My family is known for their golden eyes and yeah they’re nice I guess but yours...they’re this deep amber color.”

They locked eyes again and Tiani felt herself turn a shade of pink. “Oh, uh, thank you.”

“Yeah no problem.”

Tiani didn’t remember when she fell asleep, just that her dreams weren’t tumultuous as usual and she was nestled against something warm and soft. Was she back in her old bed back in the fire nation? Was all of this just a dream?

She nuzzled against her pillows and sighed, her eyes snapping open when the pillow moved beneath her head. Startled, she lifted her head groggily and rubbed her eyes. A gargled noise escaped her as she realized she had been sleeping against Zuko; he was still sound asleep, his eyes shut peacefully, unaware that they had been so close.

She slid away from him. At the same time the door opened and Iroh and the Pai Sho player emerged.

Zuko was awake in an instant, jumping to his feet and going into a defensive stance. “What's going on? Is the club meeting over?”

“Everything is taken care of,” Iroh assured them. “We're heading to Ba-Sing-Se.”

Tiani rubbed her eyes blearily. “I suggested that idea a while ago but did anyone listen? No.”

“Ba-Sing-Se? Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?” Zuko asked, obviously missing the point. Tiani pulled her face down and groaned.

“The city is filled with refugees. No one will notice two more,” The Pai Sho player pointed out.

“We can hide in plain sight there. And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city,” Iroh added, chuckling a bit at his own dry humor.

Just then, the door to the shop opened and a young man entered, holding three paper booklets. “I have the passports for our guests, but there are two men out on the streets looking for them.”

Puzzled, the three of them peered out the window and exchanged troubled looks when the two earthbenders from before could be seen shoving their wanted posters in peoples’ faces.

Tiani’s face brightened. “I have a wanted poster?!”

Iroh scratched his forehead, trying to come up with an idea on how to avoid being seen. He looked to Tiani for any suggestions. She shrugged.

“I say we fight our way out,” Zuko said, his hands balled into fists as he made for the door, but Tiani stopped him, her hands pushing against his chest.

“Not now, hothead. There are dozens of other people looking for us. Do you want to draw more attention to us?”

“I have a better idea,” The Pai Sho player quipped, his old eyes twinkling.

\-----------------------

“Ugh, I feel so cramped,” Tiani complained as she tried to make herself comfortable inside the large flower pot. Her legs were uncomfortably pressed against her face and the hilt of her sword was poking into her back. “I can hardly move!”

“Maybe it’s because you’re inside a _flower pot_!” Even though the pots were several inches thick, she could still hear Zuko snap at her from within his.

“Hey, shove off, Porcupine!” She shot back, purposefully bumping her pot against his and smirking when she heard a cry of outrage.

“Farewell, good people,” The Pai Sho player said to them. “I wish you luck on your journey.”

The cart began to move and Taini fell silent when the door opened and they were taken outside, right by the two earthbenders. She let out a sigh of relief when she heard their voices fade and they continued on.

________________________

The Assassin had never felt more uncomfortable in her entire life. It felt like they had been inside the pots for hours and she was miserable. Not to mention hungry and thirsty...and very very grouchy. If Zuko tried anything later, she knew that going easy on him was out of the question.

The cart stopped suddenly and Tiani hissed as her head hit the side of the pot. But her annoyance was soon replaced with dread. Had they found them? Were they caught? There was no way she could successfully fight after being contained for such a long period in such a small space.

She winced as the sunlight burned her eyes and clumps of dirt fell on her when the plant that covered her head was lifted and the man who pulled the car peered down at her with a lopsided smile. “Time to get out!”

Much to her embarrassment, the man had to literally lift her out, pulling her arms until her legs followed suit.

Everything ached and she laid down in the sand to stretch her limbs and crack her neck. Her scowl vanished however, when the man handed something to her and she noticed the two Ostrich birds that were pulling the cart.

“Niourou! And my satchel!” She exclaimed happily, gratefully taking it from him and running to pet her mount.

The cart man scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly at her. “Yeah I thought it looked important and I saw the way you acted towards that bird. Anyways,” He turned towards Iroh and Zuko who were already out and watching. “I can take you to the Full Moon Ferry Landing, after that, you’re on your own.”

Iroh bowed to the man. “We are very much indebted to you, good sir.”

The man bowed in return. “Please, the pleasure is all mine.”


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I felt nice and decided to do a DOUBLE UPLOAD. Plus this chapter has some deep romantic tension and angst. What more could you want?! Don't worry, they're not together yet. I want you guys to suffer because I'm cruel and I love doing stuff like this.  
> I love you all!  
> FeFe

___________________________

Tiani hated to admit it, but she had nearly burst into tears when she was forced to say goodbye to her ostrich horse.

The man who had smuggled them out of the plant shop, he later introduced himself at Chen, had told them that livestock and pets of any kind were prohibited from traveling to Ba Sing Se, no matter the bond they had created with their owners. But he had reassured them, telling them that he would keep them as his own for the time being, and when they were able, they could come and take them back. Devastated nonetheless, she petted Niourou’s feathered neck fondly as they approached the entrance to the Full Moon Ferry. The feathered beast had been with her throughout her time as the Black Tigress, three years. Leaving him felt like parting ways with an old friend.

The bird brushed his large head up against her affectionately, letting out soft crows when she scratched him behind the ears the way he liked it. Her eyes burned as she pressed her forehead against his, shutting his eyes. “Farewell, dear friend. We’ll meet again. I promise you.”

Chen wished them good luck on their journey to Ba Sing Se and left them at the entrance. Tiani felt odd without her feathered companion.

“So you don’t have a problem killing and turning people in for money, but you get all emotional because of a bird?” Zuko asked her, completely flabbergasted. “That makes absolutely no sense.”

“I have a soft spot for animals, okay?” She snapped, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

The bay in which the Full Moon Ferry was located was enormous. The enormous caverns carved from thousands of years of wear and tear upon the rock provided shelter for those awaiting their turn to sail to Impenetrable City and there were three large ships docked and ready to be boarded.

Tiani had always loved the ocean and the smell of the sea. When she had been younger, her parents had owned a house on the beach. She spent hours every day collecting sea shells and building sand castles. Until she got older and her parents decided that playing in the sand was too messy and unladylike for a girl her age. She had been _eleven_.

The salty sea breeze that hit her nose reminded her of that time and it was both a bitter and happy memory.

She and Zuko stayed quiet as Iroh submitted their fake passports and followed him onto one of the large ships. A long sigh was released as she felt the boat lurch out into the open ocean. Maybe Iroh was right. Maybe they could find refuge in the huge Earth Kingdom city. At least she could. Zuko likely didn’t feel the same.

Iroh leaned over the railing, gazing out at the open waters solemnly. “Who would have thought, after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace...as a tourist!” He grinned widely at the two of them from under an ugly straw hat covered in flowers.

Tiani cringed at the sight. “Where on earth did you get such an ugly hat?!”

Zuko gestured at the other passengers from where he stood. “Look around, we're not tourists, we're refugees.” His voice was grim and he took a sip from the bowl that had been given to them not long ago. He spit it out in revulsion. “Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt…” Just out of curiosity, Tiani took a tentative sip of the sludge and nearly retched at the foul tasting slop. Bad idea. “I'm tired of living like this.” His body slumped over the railing in defeat.

“Aren’t we all?”

She whirled around to spot a figure in the shadows, watching them. Slowly and lazily they emerged, revealing a boy around their age with golden brown skin, dark eyes, and shaggy hair. There was a stalk of wheatgrass sticking out of his mouth. Her eyes narrowed in on the two twin hook blades hanging from his belt. The boy smirked at them and Tiani eyed the two others that came up behind him: a short girl with large eyes and another boy with fair skin, a rice hat, and a quiver strapped to his back. “ My name's Jet, and these are my freedom fighters, Smellerbee, and Longshot.”

Big-eyed girl nodded at them. “Hey.”

The one called Longshot stayed silent, only dipping his head in acknowledgment.

“Hello,” She and Zuko greeted, though it was not the friendliest greeting. Jet took a few steps forward and Tiani watched him closely in case he recognized them and tried to pull or start something. She didn’t have a problem putting an end to things and didn’t care if she did so discreetly or where everyone could see.

“Here's the deal. I hear the Captain's eating like a king, while us refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?”

Tiani crossed her arms, nudging Zuko with her shoulder. He too, was also listening. “No. It doesn’t.”

“What sort of "king" is he eating like?” Iroh asked curiously. “The fat, happy kind,” Jet answered in displeasure while Iroh’s jaw dropped and he started to drool.

The boy’s gaze flickered between her and Zuko, his brow raising slightly. “You want to help us "liberate" some food?”

She and the prince thought for a moment, exchanging looks with each other and then looking down at their vile excuse for gruel. At the same time, they hurled their bowls as hard as they could over the rail and then turned to face the Freedom Fighter. “We’re in."

Jet grinned at them and walked over to them, his partners trailing behind but keeping their distance, still wary. He leaned up against the railing beside her and winked flirtatiously, trying to be smooth. It wasn’t working. “What’s your name, Kitten?”

Tiani grimaced at the nickname and she saw Zuko tense out of the corner of her eye, his hands gripping the railing a little too tightly. Is this how he feels when I call him porcupine or sea urchin? She wondered, pursing her lips.

Despite her scars, men and boys still managed to flirt, often approaching her when she was sitting alone in bars, after she had taken on the identity of the Black Tigress. Young boys a little older than her, hoping she could give them satisfaction. She would sneer at them through the mask before making a show of cleaning her blades and propping her feet up on the table. Usually they would run away after that.

There had been more dangerous occurrences after she got older--older men trying to corner her behind a building, sometimes carrying weapons to intimidate her and often coming in groups in the hopes that they would overwhelm her. They were dead before they even had a chance to lay a finger on her. It was during those times that she didn’t care how many of them she slaughtered. The world should be thanking her for ridding the world of scum.

Tossing her braid over her shoulder, she eyed him with disinterest. “I’m…*Fan.” She quickly came up with a name off the top of her head. “This is Lee and Mushi.” Iroh waved in greeting as she introduced him.

“Nice to meet you both,” Jet said before quickly turning his attention back to Tiani. “But I’m more interested in getting to know you, Kitten.”

She slowly made eye contact with her, her face emotionless and her voice casual. “Call me that one more time and you’ll see this kitten’s claws sinking into your neck.” It was a threat that was murmured just loud enough for him and Zuko to hear.

Instead of backing away and never speaking to her again like most boys, Jet didn’t seem phased. Instead he smirked. “I like you, Fan.” He straightened his stance and addressed her and Zuko. “Both of you, meet me here at sundown. I’ll be waiting.” With one last smirk at her over his shoulder, he and the rest of his Freedom Fighters sauntered off, leaving her with an uncomfortable feeling in her gut.

“I don’t like him,” she uttered and she could tell by the way Zuko’s lips were pulled into a tight line that he felt the same.

_________________________

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” She later asked him hesitantly as they strapped their weapons around their waists and prepared themselves to “liberate some food”. “Jet just rubs me the wrong way for some reason. There’s something about him I don’t like. And did you see the way he looked at me as if I was a hunk of meat?”

Zuko slid his dual blades into his sheath. “Yeah I know what you mean. But we already told him that we were going to help.”

“Did you see the way he tried to flirt with me? Talk about making a girl uncomfortable. I wanted to throw up afterward,” Tiani ranted, yanking on her belt to tighten it. “He has such a slappable face! I ought to hang him up by his pants with his own hook blades. Teach him a lesson.”

Zuko shrugged and ran a hand through his hair, which still stood up awkwardly. “I mean I won’t stop you if you go through with it.”

Tiani raised her brows and wiggled them. “We can do it now! What do you think?”

He seemed to consider it for a moment but shook his head. “Let’s just get the food first and then see what happens. If he makes you uncomfortable again then I give you permission.”

A devious smile pulled at her lips at the thought of Jet pleading with her to let him down. Him apologizing profusely as he dangled from the helm, supported only by the hook blade snared in his pants. That image stayed in her mind as they went to meet Jet and the other Freedom Fighters.

Smellerbee and Longshot nodded their heads at them in acknowledgment while Jet removed the stalk of wheatgrass from his mouth and gave them a sly grin. “A part of me wondered if you two were actually going to show up.” Tiani tensed when his gaze swept over her dao sword and dagger strapped to her hips. “Looks like the kitten has claws after all.”

Tiani took a threatening step forward, seething, but Zuko put his arm out to stop her from ripping out his throat with her bare hands. “So what’s the plan?”

Jet pointed towards the upper deck. “The kitchen is up there. You, me, and Fan will break in while Smellerbee is on lookout. Once we’ve gotten enough food, Longshot here will shoot an arrow with a rope attached. All we have to do is slide down it with the food. It’s that easy.”

Tiani had to hand it to him though. It was a solid plan. As long as they weren’t caught, it should be quick and easy. “Seems simple enough.”

Jet’s grin only grew wider. “Then let’s get started.”

_________________________

Tiani followed close behind Zuko as the four of them stealthily climbed the stairs that lead to the kitchen. Once they reached the door, Jet pried it open using his hook blades. She couldn’t help but wince as the wood splintered and cracked. If a guard caught them they would be done for.

The door opened and the three of them burst inside while Smellerbee stood outside to keep watch.

Quickly and efficiently, Tiani poured red bean buns into her bag and used her sword to cut down the strips of dried meat hanging from the ceiling, catching them as they fell. Her fingers deftly secured the bag and she tossed it over her shoulder. Zuko and Jet did the same with the other food that was piled high in every corner of the kitchen. Tiani’s stomach twisted at the sight of all the fresh food. How could a person wallow in their own riches and wealth while other people starved? Despicable.

“Guards coming!” She heard Smellerbee hiss from outside.

The three of them rushed out the door and peered over the balcony to see Longshot pulling back on the bowstring and then releasing an arrow with a rope attached, just as Jet had told them. The arrow embedded itself in the railing. She and the others pushed the three bundles down the line and then followed after, sliding down and running off with their stolen goods.

Longshot yanked the arrow free and darted after them just as a guard passed by. Completely oblivious.

____________________

A genuine smile crossed her face as the passengers gratefully took the food they had stolen. There were people of all ages on board. Some looked to be as old as the dirt itself while others were only children traveling alone. All of them with a story to tell. And they probably weren’t the cheery kind that melted your heart, but the ones that tore it from your chest.

Tiani sat down next to Zuko and Iroh and bit into a red bean bun, nearly falling over in ecstasy, her eyes rolling. “Lee, you have to try this!” She didn’t wait for him to say yes or no and shoved it in his mouth when he opened it to speak. His cry of protest was muffled by the bun but his eyes softened and then brightened when he tasted how good it was. “Isn’t it good? It’s good right?”

Iroh watched the two of them in amusement and tried to carry on a conversation with the two Freedom Fighters. “ So, Smellerbee, that's an unusual name for a young man.”

“Mushi, she’s not--” Tiani tried to say around a mouthful of bun but Smellerbee didn’t have a problem voicing her irritation.

“Maybe it's because I'm not a man. I'm a _girl_!”

Clearly offended, the small girl stood up and marched off. Longshot went after her. Probably to provide comfort.

Iroh called after her, “ Oh, now I see! It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!”

“Nice save, Mushi,” She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “Hey!” Her teeth were bared at Zuko as he tried to snatch her half eaten bean bun. She slapped his hand away. “ Paws off! You have your own!”

“Yours tastes better than mine,” He complained, pouting. When her scowl only deepened, he reluctantly took a bite of his own, his face scrunching up over-dramatically in an attempt to get her to share hers again. Unfortunately it worked.

Jet joined them, sitting across from her and Zuko, much to her relief. “From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se. I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall.”

Deciding that her red bean bun was officially under the possession of Zuko, she opted for a piece of dried meat, enjoying the way she had to chew it for several moments before it was fit to swallow, and then started on the leg of a cooked chicken.

“It is a magnificent sight,” Iroh agreed, setting his bowl of noodles down.

“So you've been there before?” Jet asked curiously.

A dozen different emotions flashed in Iroh’s eyes. The most prominent one being guilt and regret. He looked away. “Once, when I was a different man.”

A dark look passed over Jet’s face. “ I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of,” He admitted. “But that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se, for a new beginning. A second chance.”

“That's very noble of you. I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances.” Tiani didn’t miss the meaningful look Iroh gave to his nephew. She awkwardly hiccuped.

“So, Fan--” She fought the urge to groan as all the attention was put on her “--where did a girl like you get a sword and a dagger like that?”

Tiani flung the chicken leg over the railing and looked him dead in the eye. “I’ve been on my own since I was thirteen. You learn to fight in order to survive. My blades are trophies I took from people who crossed me.” Partially the truth. The sword part had been a lie. Her dao sword had been her father’s. And the dagger was a gift from Shyshou. The only person she had told about her running away.

“So where’d you meet these two?” Jet asked. “You and Lee seem pretty close judging from how far apart you two are sitting.”

She and Zuko both looked at each other upon noticing that their shoulders and sides were pressed together. Zuko coughed, ears tinged pink, and they scooted away from each other awkwardly.

“After living on my own for so long, I decided to travel towards Ba Sing Se.” the lies easily rolled off her tongue. “I came across their camp one night and after I discovered that they were going the same way I was, I decided to tag along. Lee and I are just friends.” After their conversation in the plant shop, Tiani had felt something change in their relationship. A shift. She wondered if he had felt it too.

“You two have had it pretty rough, it looks like. I mean from the...uh...” The scars. He meant the scars. He was looking at her scars. He saw them.

She felt her hands start to shake and she shoved them down in her lap to fight the sudden feeling of terror that washed over her. He was looking. Did that mean everyone was looking? A freak. That’s what she was.

Stop looking!

Stop _looking_!

Zuko must’ve seen the pasty color of her skin and haunted look on her face because he decided to speak up and jump in. “Yeah I guess you could say that.” She inhaled sharply when she felt his hand gently grab her arm and squeeze it comfortingly. Although his expression was blank, his thumb brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine and a flush over her skin.

Jet stood up and wiped himself off. “Nice talking to you guys. It’s getting late though; we should probably get some rest.” He turned and walked off and Tiani couldn’t have been happier to see him leave.

_________________________

Tiani was awoken by Zuko getting up. A thin slice of red on the horizon confirmed that it was early morning--dawn to be more specific. It cast an eerie red glow over the water and silhouetted the shoreline that was slowly getting closer. They were nearly there.

She tip-toed over the other sleeping passengers and made her way over to the prince, who was gazing out over the railing. But something told her that he wasn’t just admiring the view.

“Couldn’t sleep?” She inquired softly, joining him. He nodded stiffly. “Yeah me too.” A beat passed. Then, “Hey. Thanks for earlier. I was just having trouble breathing. It happens sometimes. Nothing to worry about.”

He kept his gaze pointed out at the water as he spoke. “It was because he was talking about our scars, wasn’t it?”

She was taken aback by his forwardness. “Uh, yeah it was. I’m just really self conscious about it.”

“After I got mine,” Zuko started slowly, “and the bandage was finally removed, I was ashamed. I felt like I had been marked by my father. The mark of a traitor.” He touched the burn scar on his face. “But I realized later that it didn’t define me. I defined myself.” A sigh escaped him as he braced his arms against the rail. “Tiani, I don’t know what happened to you, what you’ve been through or how you got that scar, but I do know that you can’t let a scar get in the way of what you want.” Her eyes widened as he took her hand and pressed it against his burn. “What do you feel?” He asked her.

“Skin,” She breathed, her whole body tingling. The burn didn’t feel like what she thought it would--how she had imagined. Her fingers traced the smooth ridges and his eyes closed as they danced over his lid and brow. “Just...skin.”

“Because that’s all it is,” he told her, opening his eyes. “It’s skin that has healed.”

With her other hand she grabbed his and gently put it to the side of her face, over the deepest scar that sliced through her right cheek and down her neck. “And what do you feel?”

Zuko’s fingers followed the scar down her cheek and then moved onto the one that extended from the corner of her mouth. Tiani didn’t even know if she was breathing. Across her face, his hand went, brushing up against her lips and then over the other two scars. “I feel you,” He whispered, cupping the side of her face.

What was she doing? What was he doing to her?

No.

She didn’t have time for this. She couldn't do this.

So why did she feel this way?

“I’m sorry.” She removed her hand and backed away, her chest aching as she felt his hand slip away.“We shouldn’t be doing this.”

For a moment, disappointment seemed to flash across his face, lasting only a second...until the walls were brought back up again and replaced with that stony expression she had grown used to. That emotionless scowl. “You’re right. We shouldn’t.” He sounded as if she had just slapped him in the face. Maybe she had, in a way.

“Am I interrupting anything?”

She and Zuko spun around as Jet approached them from the shadows, that stupid stalk of wheatgrass still sticking from his mouth. Had he been standing there the whole time? How much had he seen or heard? If he managed to overhear their real names--

“You know, as soon as I saw your scars, I knew exactly who you two were.” Tiani sucked in a breath, ready to throw Jet overboard if need be. “You're outcasts, like me. And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs, because no one else will.” The breath that she’d been holding was quietly released. Outcasts. Right.

“I've realized lately, that being on your own isn't always the best path.” His voice was back to it’s usual tone: Cold and guarded. Allowing no one to enter. Except her, she thought to herself.

He opened up to her for a brief amount of time, showing her empathy and compassion. And she’d ruined it. He opened himself up to her and she blew it. She might as well have knocked him over the side of the ship while she was at it.

Damn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fan Pronounced FAH-n: A Chinese name that means "lethal"


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Just wanted to apologize for this chapter not being as long as the others. The next one will be longer, I promise!
> 
> FeFe

_______________________________

It took them nearly an hour to reach the front of the line to receive their tickets after stepping off the boat and arriving at the ferry landing. The entire time, Zuko didn’t speak to her. He acted as if she was invisible. Fine. Two could play at this game.

At the front of the line, Iroh handed their fraudulent passports to a heavy set woman who wore a permanent scowl and had a rather unfortunate mole sticking out from above one of her eyebrows. She looked over their papers suspiciously and raised one of her eyebrows at Iroh. “So, Miss Fan, Mister Lee, and Mister...uh, Mushy, is it?”

Iroh raised a finger. “It’s pronounced _Mu-shi_ ,” he corrected her politely.

“You telling me how to do my job?” She snapped angrily. Even Tiani flinched at the sudden outburst.

“Uh, no, no, no,” Iroh quickly placated, changing his voice to something a little more charismatic. “But may I just say that you're like a flower in bloom, your beauty intoxicating.”

Tiani’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. So did Zuko’s.

The Customs Lady blushed, instantly charmed. “You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome,” She flirted back, leaning over her ticket booth to make a light cat-like swipe at him which made Tiani want to burn her eyes out with her own fire. “Rawr.” The stamp clicked over their papers loudly. “Welcome to Ba Sing Se.”

Zuko snatched his papers from Iroh with a look of utter revulsion on his face. “I’m gonna forget I saw that.”

Tiani took her papers a little more gently than Zuko but she still agreed with him. “Too late for forgetting--it’s already ingrained in my brain.”

____________________________________

Sitting between Zuko and Iroh was probably the worst position she could be seated in at the moment. Because on one side, you have Iroh...who won’t shut up about finding a tea shop in Ba Sing Se that makes Jasmine tea and you want him to stop talking. But on the other side of you is Zuko, who you want to talk to and hope that he starts a conversation with you.

Instead of listening to Iroh’s constantly blabbing, she watched the hundreds of people that walked by. All of them waiting to board the train that would take them to a new life. A fresh start. Brand new opportunities and hopes and dreams. Pitiful.

They had been seated for about twenty minutes when she felt herself get further sandwiched in between Zuko and Iroh. Spirits, she was probably going to leave the debarkation a lot skinnier.

“Do you mind?” She grouched, not having a problem voicing her displeasure at her current situation.

“So, you guys got plans once you're inside the city?” Tiani stiffened, recognizing Jet’s lazy drawl that made her blood boil. How had he found them? She’d hoped that once they got off the ship, they would no longer have to deal with his stupid Freedom Fighter mumbo dumbo.

“Get your hot tea here! Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!” A passing tea peddler hollered, getting her attention and obviously Iroh’s.

The old man, not surprisingly, waved the peddler over excitedly. “Oh! Jasmine, please!” The peddler poured Iroh a cup and moved on. Iroh happily took a sip and then spat it out in disgust. “ Blaugh! Ugh. _Coldest_ tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it. What a disgrace!”

“Hey can I talk to you two for a second?”

Whatever Jet had to say could not be good. Especially if he wanted to speak to both of them. After last night, she had been uneasy. Both from the incident with Zuko and Jet’s comment about the three of them being outsiders and needing to stay together. It had rubbed her the wrong way because not only did he listen in on a very intimate conversation, but he’d called her an outsider. Just because they had scars, didn’t mean that they would suddenly become best buddies with a guy they just met. And no one gave her a title. Those were for her to create herself.

Maybe she was selfish for not wanting to help Jet and contribute to their group, but the only person she was loyal to was herself. So why did she want to stay with Zuko? That was a question she had been asking herself since the day she decided to tag along with them. The truth was, she didn’t know the answer. At least not yet. Perhaps there wasn’t a logical reason behind it. Or there could be…?

Jet was waiting for her not far away from the bench they were seated. Somehow, Tiani managed to drag herself over to them but made no promise that she would make an effort to listen. Sure, they had helped Jet and his friends steal some food to pass out among the other passengers, but she hadn’t expected him to stick to them like glue. The boy acted as if he was some high and mighty hero and it nauseated her.

I hate to break it to you, Tiani thought, but there’s no such thing as heroes. Only people who make good decisions and those who made bad decisions. It was a lesson she’d taught herself after living alone for four years of her life. She’d taught herself to not trust anyone. To harden her heart and block out anyone who tried to enter.

What happened earlier was a stupid mistake, she told herself tersely. A brief moment where walls were let down and vulnerability was shown. It would not happen again. It couldn’t.

“You guys I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together. You want to join the Freedom Fighters?”

She stifled a harsh laugh at his proposal. Them? Join the Freedom Fighters? Something told her that they would not appreciate allying themselves with two firebenders. Who would in this day and age?

“Thanks, but I don't think you want us in your gang,” Zuko said stiffly, speaking for them both.

“Come on, we made a great team looting that Captain's food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees,” Jet tried to convince them when they turned to walk away. Tiani wanted to throw fire at him. It was one time! And they were hungry! Just because they did one good deed with them did not mean that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives doing so. She wasn’t that type of person.

“We said no,” Zuko said sharply.

Jet was definitely surprised and a little confused. “Have it your way,” He called.

Tiani did a double take as they neared Iroh who was now happily sipping his tea...that was steaming. Hadn’t he (rather loudly) expressed that it was much too cold? Her heart dropped. No. He wouldn’t. Not in such a public area. Old fool.

Zuko noticed too and glanced back at Jet. The Freedom Fighter was watching them with a hostile expression on his face. He had seen. Great. Just great.

She and Zuko kept an eye on him as he turned and stalked off. If he knew they were Fire Nation, they could have a lot of trouble on their hands. The last thing they needed was another person trying to track them down.

Without a warning, Zuko turned and swung his arm around, knocking the cup from his uncle’s hand and sending it clattering to the ground in a pool of steaming liquid.

“Hey!” Iroh cried in alarm, clearly caught by surprise.

“Zuko!” Tiani whisper-yelled. “That was a perfectly good cup of tea!”

“ _What are you doing firebending your tea_?!” Zuko hissed through gritted teeth. “For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move.”

“You could have at least let him finish it,” She chided, eyeing the spilled tea disapprovingly. “Knocking it out of his hands was a little extreme. Even for me.”

“And run the risk of having everyone know who we are?” Zuko retorted furiously. “I’d rather not take that chance.”

The old man stared at the tea puddle mournfully. “I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but…” He sniffled. “It’s just so _sad_.”

Tiani scowled at Zuko and patted Iroh on the shoulder to provide some comfort. “I’m sure there are plenty of tea shops in Ba Sing Se. The train should be here any minute.”

Sure enough, a rumbling sound was heard throughout the station as a train molded from rock and stone pulled up to allow passengers to board.

For a second all she could was stare as the doors to the train opened and people filed inside, eager to start a new life.

A new life.

If she hadn’t discovered Zuko, she would have already completed her mission by now. The people that had hurt her would be dead and she would be able to finally sleep peacefully. Her mind at ease. Instead, she’d chosen to work alongside the snobby, hot headed, off putting, absolutely incorrigible banished prince that was far too attractive for his own good. No matter how hard she tried to let her past go, it always seemed to find a way to haunt her. Either in her nightmares or in her daily life. The past was inescapable. Maybe coming to Ba Sing Se would give her some much needed rest and relaxation. She was desperately in need of it.

The three of them took a seat next to a happy couple with a baby bundled in clothes. From the looks of it, it had just been born.

Careful not to be squished like she was earlier, Tiani chose to sit beside Zuko. Not that she wanted to, of course. They both were still angry at each other. Not just about the spilled tea though.

An older lady sitting beside her, bumped her arm gently, noticing the tension between her and Zuko. “Got into an argument with you boyfriend did ya?”

Tiani glowered at the women, crossing her arms. “He’s _not_ my boyfriend.”

“Well that’s a shame,” the woman tsked, looking past Tiani and at Zuko. “You two would make a lovely couple!”

If she was offered one wish in the entire world right then and there, she would have wished to become an earthbender so she could bury herself in the ground like a badgermole and never come out.


	12. Chapter 11

Ba Sing Se was not the place everyone thought it would be. It was an enormous city, that was for sure, but the lavish and pristine lifestyle that many people had hoped for was separated from the other two sectors: Lower Ring and Middle Ring. As she’d expected, they were put in the Lower Ring. The working class at the bottom of the heap.

It wasn’t all that bad walking amongst the people, though. It was vaguely similar to many of the Earth Kingdom towns and villages she had passed through. Except larger and much more populated with way more crime.

Vendors on both sides of the street beckoned her with various objects and food to sell. She had to admit, maybe it would be fun to take a look around sometime. It had been a while since she’d had the opportunity to enjoy herself.

Iroh led them to a run down apartment complex and opened the door to the inside. Zuko paused for a moment, frowning. Right. He was a prince. And a prince that was used to being treated like he was higher than everyone. It was probably a huge downgrade for him. According to Iroh, his lifestyle, even when banished, was comfortable.

Tiani, on the other hand, hadn’t slept inside a safe and secure environment since she’d left home. Barns, abandoned homes, run down shacks, and the ground outside had been what she’d grown accustomed over the years. Actually living somewhere...in a home...she’d missed it. More than she cared to admit.

They followed Iroh up the stairs to their apartment door. The old man shook the keys enthusiastically before unlocking the door and letting them in. It certainly wasn’t impressive, that was for sure. It was one single room. Fortunately it wasn’t as small as she’d envisioned it. There was plenty of room for them to move about and three cots were already set up, one up against the wall by the window (Zuko instantly claimed it), the second one across from the other, and the third placed closer to the door.

The whole room smelled a little musty and there were cracks in the walls, but Tiani didn’t care. She happily dropped her bag and laid down in the cot across from Zuko’s, stretching her arms and sighing contentedly. “Ah, it feels nice to sleep in a bed for once.”

Zuko bounced on his for a moment, not looking as pleased as her. “I wouldn’t call it a bed.”

“You forget, Prince Zuko, that Tiani has been living on the road for the past four years. This probably feels like luxury to her,” Iroh told him while unpacking their things.

“Oh, I forgot you lived in the dirt. Might as well become a citizen of the Earth Kingdom and become Jet’s girlfriend,” Zuko sneered at her. “Filth.”

Tiani shot up into a sitting position, her lip curled back into a snarl. “Run that by me one more time and we’ll see what happens. Go on. Say it.” She’d had it. Throughout the entire day Zuko had bullied her, muttering things under his breath and doing things that he knew would annoy her. And, being the polite person she was, had let it slide. She’d ignored his torment and hadn’t said anything about it. But now she couldn’t take it any longer.

Iroh looked between the two worriedly, unsure of how to intervene or when to intervene. “I called you filth,” Zuko repeated himself daringly. “Because that’s what you are. You killed people for money like the filthy person you are.”

Tiani rose from her bed and clenched her fists. “You don’t have the right to tell me who I am! You have no idea what I’ve been through! So how dare you. You are so unbelievably petty, do you know that? What happened between us was a mistake, Zuko! It shouldn’t have happened and you being mad at me because I stopped it and put an end to it is despicable.” Her eyes stung and she blinked to force herself not to cry. Crying was for the weak. And she was not weak. “If you were in my shoes, you would understand why I did what I did. But you wouldn’t understand would you, because you’re a cold, heartless, vile person.” Just like me, she thought bitterly.

Zuko’s mouth was agape, his eyes wide in shock. He looked neither angry or scared, just...startled. Iroh, too, seemed unable to form any words or provide a distraction.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get some air,” She said softly, marching purposefully out the door and slamming it behind her.

__________________________

Night had fallen when Iroh found her sitting on the steps in the courtyard outside their apartment.

The assassin was ashamed. She was ashamed at herself for losing control, ashamed that his words got to her, but mostly just ashamed of herself. He was right. The things she had done in the past were filthy and spirits were they messed up.

Sometimes at night, she stared at her hands. Convinced that she could still see the blood crusted under her nails. Sure that she smelled the coppery tang. The worst part was that she had been proud of herself. Proud. Proud for taking other people’s lives for a living. All because she needed someone or something to take her anger out on. No wonder people were terrified of her once they realized who she was and what she was capable of doing. 

Tiani wanted to open up. She really did. She wanted to shout at the top of her lungs that she wasn’t afraid to show people who she was. But that was a lie. She was afraid. Terrified. And not ready.

A part of her wished that she had been born a water bender. Water was so calm and serene while fire was so raging and deadly. Like her. 

She buried her face in her hands.

“Zuko told me what happened between you two.” Tiani lifted her head and furiously wiped her eyes when Iroh sat down next to her. “You certainly scared him though,” He chuckled to himself. “I haven’t seen my nephew struck speechless before. He usually always has something to argue about.”

“I know you came here to make me apologize,” she said, getting right to the point and clenching her jaw in hostility. “And I will do no such thing.”

Iroh released a heavy sigh. “I did not come to convince you to apologize, child. I know what Prince Zuko said was wrong, I’m aware of that. I just ask you to please keep an open mind.” He went to touch her but she pushed his hand away roughly. “Tiani, please listen to me. You and Zuko are more alike than you realize. You may not agree with everything, but both of you have suffered. Suffered far more than anyone your age should. Zuko is angry...and I sense that you are too. I think that you two tend to take your frustrations out on each other.”

Then she realized something. She understood why there was always a part of her that was angry at him. And when she thought about it….it all made sense now. Her chest tightened. It didn't change anything, though. 

“My nephew is different from how you remembered him,” Iroh went on. “He’s changed. A lot. He’s not a silly boy anymore but a troubled young man. I’m not trying to justify his actions because what he said was wrong...but please, maybe come back inside and talk to him about it. Can you do that?”

Finally, she made eye contact with him. Maybe it was worth a try. And nodded.

____________________________

Zuko was sitting on his cot with his back facing the wall when she entered. His arms were crossed and he eyed her with a hint of unease, as if he was scared she would yell at him again. Oh, she most definitely would if he insulted her again, he could count on that for sure.

Iroh closed the door behind her and left them alone to talk in private. Tiani felt her heart speed up a notch. A part of her had hoped that the old man would stay to provide moral support.

The awkward silence was stifling as neither of them knew what to say. Tiani noticed that she’d started to wring her hands out of nervousness. It was surprisingly Zuko was the first to speak after clearing his throat. “I want to, uh, apologize for earlier. I don’t know why I said all those things about you. I think it was because I just have a lot of pent up anger and for some reason I decided to take it out on you which, uh, isn’t okay. So I guess what I’m trying to say is...I’m sorry. Like actually sorry. I don’t normally apologize but I know what I said was wrong. I understand if you don’t want to forgive me--”

“Zuko I forgive you,” She interrupted, taking a seat on her bed and facing him. And she genuinely did. “But I should also be apologizing as well,” She said admittedly. “I shouldn’t have called you those things. That was unwarranted.”

“No it was,” He insisted, rubbing the back of his head like he always did when he was feeling embarrassed or awkward. He’d been doing it since they were kids. “It was unfair to target you as the victim of my anger--I’ve had a lot of it lately.”

“I think we both have,” Tiani agreed. “I’ve had this deep anger towards you for a while now. I just never really acknowledged it.” Zuko looked wary and she elaborated, “After my…” She tried to find the right words and instead chose to just gesture at her face and the scars. “I sent dozens of messages to you from my bed, hoping I would get a response. Even after Iroh told me about your banishment three years later, I was still angry and disappointed--I know that it wasn’t right because it isn’t your fault but I just--” Her hand rubbed between her eyes to fight a growing ache. “I’m not ready to tell you my story. I don’t know if I ever will be but, I think I want to try rekindling our friendship again. It won’t be the same as when we were kids, but we can at least try. Can’t we?”

There was a deep sense of understanding and gratitude in the Prince’s eyes. “We can.”

____________________

Despite living in the lower ring, there was something so comforting and homely about the bustling streets that were so filled with life. There was always something happening, something to do. And for once, Tiani felt at ease. She knew deep down that the feeling would not last but she still took the time to relish these calm and peaceful moments in her life.

She and Zuko had forgiven each other last night, coming to terms with their differences, vowing to never speak of what had happened between the two of them on the ship ever again, and promising that they would both make an effort to not lash out at one another. That would be hard given that they were both incredibly stubborn and prideful--Zuko more the latter and Tiani more the former. Nevertheless, the once infamous assassin found herself strangely optimistic and bubbly at the moment. Maybe it was because a small amount of weight had been lifted from her shoulders or because there was roasted turtleduck being made nearby.

Zuko only watched her as she dashed from vendor to vendor in excitement, curiously asking the prices of various merchandise and inhaling the scent of fresh food with big eyes.

“I rather like it here,” She said enthusiastically as she walked alongside Zuko. “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. A little cramped, maybe, but it’s kind of...quaint.”

“Not the word I was thinking of,” the Prince said sourly. He gave her a funny look. “You’re awfully cheerful this morning aren’t you?”

“I guess I just slept well. It feels nice to sleep in a good ol’ bed. Besides, we have a huge city to explore and tons of things to see and do.” Her gaze swept over his face. “I take it you don’t feel the same way.”

His silence gave her the answer she needed and she sighed dejectedly. At least she was trying to have high spirits. Unlike _some_ people.

Iroh caught up to them after trailing behind for quite some time. He was carrying a large porcelain vase filled with vibrant orange flowers and smiling jovially. Zuko eyed the flowers scornfully, the crease between his brows deepening.

“I just want our new place to look nice in case someone brings home a lady friend.” Iroh nudged his nephew cheekily and winked at Tiani. “Or a boyfriend.”

Tiani made a face. “I hate to burst your bubble, but that’s likely not going to happen any time soon.”

It was her turn to be nudged by the old man. “You never know! You know what they say! Anything can happen in Ba Sing Se!”

“This city is a prison. I don't want to make a life here,” Zuko voiced aloud in distaste.

“Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not,” Said Iroh wisely. “Now come on, I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon.”

Tiani groaned, all positivity gone. Her shoulders drooped. “We have work already? But we just got here.”

“If you want us to continue living in an apartment and not on the streets, we must have a way to pay for our expenses,” He told her a-matter-of-factly. “It’s not heavy labor, don't worry.”

“Uncle, please tell me it’s not a tea shop,” Zuko said anxiously. “Look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t get us a job at a tea shop.”

“Oh he did.” Tiani frowned up at the small tea shop they were now standing in front of. _Pao’s Family Tea House_ was painted in bold black paint over the door. It wouldn’t get very family friendly if she and Zuko worked there, that was for certain. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “When I said that you can get some tea in Ba Sing Se I didn’t mean get a job selling it too.”

Iroh waved his hand at the two of them. “Pao has offered us good wages and even offered to give us coupons for free tea! Isn’t that great?”

“Sure. Great, just great,” She muttered sarcastically, stepping inside when Iroh slid the door open.

It was small and run down. Only a few tables for customers were lined against the wall, but the shop was warm and cozy, the aroma of various teas wafting through the air. Tiani didn’t know if the shop either hadn’t opened yet or there just weren't any customers; the whole place was empty. How depressing.

The owner, Pao, greeted them from behind the counter. He was a small man with thin eyes that looked as if he was constantly smiling or laughing. With an excited clap of his hands, he came around the back of the counter and bowed to them. “Good to see you again, Mr. Mushi. I see you brought with you some more possible employees?”

“Indeed I have.” Iroh nodded. “This is Lee and Fan. They both are very ambitious and will work very hard. I’m sure they would be great workers.”

Pao grinned and tossed an apron to each of them. “Then you’re all hired! Now put these on and let’s see how it looks.”

Tiani had never felt so idiotic in her whole life. Here she was, a once famed assassin that people cowered in fear from, now wearing a stupid apron that was much too big for her. The horrid thing went down past her feet.

The shop owner looked them up and down. “Well, you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel?”

“Humiliated,” she muttered under her breath.

“Ridiculous.” Zuko sent a death glare to his uncle, who was having trouble tying his apron.

“Uh, Does this possibly come in a larger size?”

“And a smaller one?” She added, lifting the apron and dropping it to watch as it let out a soft noise when it hit the ground.

“I have extra string and some other aprons in the back. Have some tea while you wait.” Pao poured them some tea and handed it to them before leaving and shutting the screen door behind him.

Iroh took a sip and immediately made a face of disgust. “Eughh! This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!”

Tiani face palmed.

“Uncle, that's what _all_ tea is,” Zuko said in exasperation.

Iroh looked at Zuko in dismay and betrayal. “How can a member of my own family say something so horrible? We'll have to make some major changes around here.” He took the tea pot and dumped it out the window.

Tiani started. Had someone been watching them through the window? She could’ve sworn she saw someone or something move outside. Stealthily, she crept towards the window, blocking out the sound of Zuko and Iroh arguing in the background, and then peered outside, her eyes narrowing when she saw that no one was there. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're at over 200 views! Holy how this is crazy! I'm so happy and so thankful for all of you. Don't be afraid to ask me any questions or concerns in the comments! I will gladly respond to all of them! Oh! Just a quick FYI, I did change around the fight scene between Zuko and Jet a bit because good ol' Tiani has to join in, right? 
> 
> FeFe

______________________________

“If I so much as look at a cup of tea, I’m going to vomit. Or hurl it against a wall. Or _both._ ” Tiani had worked in that hellish tea shop for hours. Her hands were still red and sore from scrubbing countless amounts of dishes and tea cups. After Iroh made several changes to the recipes, people had flooded through the doors and made so many orders that she’d had trouble keeping up with all of them and serving the right drink to the right person. 

Pao had been ecstatic. He’d even flung her arms around her and Zuko, practically crying and falling over from bowing so much. “A blessing from the spirits” he’d called them. According to the shop owner, business was usually quite slow and he often barely made enough so scrape by. But now, with so many new customers, he had more than double that which he would have made in a month. Not being much of a hugger, she had stood rigidly while the owner hugged her. Zuko on the other hand had been taken completely by surprise and had a shocked look on his face when Pao had thrown his arms around him. Tiani had mentally taken a picture of that moment and tucked it in her memories. 

Though she hated to admit it, Iroh’s tea making abilities were exceptional, there was no doubt about that. It was no wonder why so many people were drawn inside just by the sheer smell that wafted out the windows and the cracks in the door. 

She frowned from her cot as Iroh set a tea pot over a pile of twigs. After hours of working in a tea shop, it was a wonder how the old man wasn’t tired of the drink yet. 

“Would you like some tea?” He offered to her and Zuko. The young man was laying in his cot, his arms placed behind his head. He hadn’t said much while working but neither had she. His face had been emotionless the entire time, only rolling his eyes whenever Iroh cracked a cheesy joke or she made fun of him for not knowing how to use a broomstick properly (she later gave him a demonstration after it annoyed her too much). 

Tiani took her pillow and smothered her face with it. “You have got to be joking.”

“We've been working in a tea shop all day. I'm sick of tea!” Zuko complained sourly. 

Iroh gasped, aghast. “Sick of tea? That's like being sick of breathing!”

“That’s a little extreme,” She told him from under her pillow. “We work in a tea shop, of course we’re going to be tired of it.”

The old man didn’t seem to hear her and she peeked from behind her pillow to see him rummaging through the cupboards beneath the counter, looking for something. “Have the two of you seen our spark rocks to heat up the water?”

She lowered her pillow and shook her head. “No. You could go ask the neighbors and borrow theirs.”

Iroh took her suggestion and left for a few moments, returning later with two glistening emerald spark rocks in his palm. “I borrowed our neighbor’s. Such kind people.” He nodded his head at her. “Thank you for the suggestion.” She shrugged in response. With a quick strike of the two rocks, the pile of twigs caught fire. 

Something moved outside their window from behind the closeline.

Tiani slid from her bed and looked out their open window vigilantly, her gaze focused on the clothes that fluttered from the clothesline. A cold breeze blew the clothes upward, revealing only the rooftop of the other apartments across from there and no one else. No one was hiding and watching them. She pursed her lips and then closed their window, still unsure. This was the second time she had felt someone watching them and it made her break out in goosebumps. 

“Are you alright, child? You look a little pale,” Iroh said in concern. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m fine,” She assured him quickly. “I just thought I saw something but it must have just been the wind.” The wind. Just the wind. Right?

____________________________

She frowned at Zuko as he scrubbed a plate. It looked as if he was trying to destroy it, he was scrubbing it so vigorously. It wouldn’t have been surprising if it had simply shattered in his hands. “Why are you washing it like that?”

“Like what?” He snapped irritably. 

The prince had tossed and turned last night, groaning and mumbling in his sleep and then later waking up, gasping. Tiani had heard it. He was likely tired from being unable to sleep last night and was taking out all his frustrations on a poor innocent plate. 

“You’ve been scrubbing that plate for the past five minutes,” she told him. “I think it’s clean.”

The hand that held the wet cloth stilled and he muttered something she couldn’t hear before setting the plate on the rack to dry with the others and wiping his hands on his apron. “I guess I just wasn’t paying attention.”

She smirked at him. “Well now that you _are_ paying attention, you can help me serve these cups of tea here.” 

Not far away, Iroh poured a cup for a soldier that had come in earlier with some of his other friends. After only a day, the shop was booming, obviously becoming a favorite place for all those who lived close by.

“This is the best tea in the city!” The soldier complimented loudly. 

“The secret ingredient is _love_ ,” Iroh replied cheesily, waving his hand through the steam rising from the teapot. 

Zuko made a face and Tiani nearly dropped the tray she held from cringing so hard. 

Pao emerged from the back, eyeing Iroh pleasingly. “I think you’re due for a raise.”

At that exact moment, the door to the shop was yanked open and the last person Tiani wanted to see marched inside to block the entrance, unsheathing his hook swords threateningly, his stance defensive and ready for a duel. 

“I'm tired of waiting. These three people are firebenders!” Jet proclaimed for the whole shop to hear. “I know they're firebenders! I saw the old man heating his tea!”

Tiani nearly dropped the tray for the second time. She stood in between Zuko and Iroh, unsure of how to get out of this situation. Obviously, they would have to lie and she was pretty good at that, but Jet looked hungry for a fight. Would engaging in a duel land them in a jail cell by any chance?

“He works in a _tea shop_ ,” The soldier Iroh had just served pointed out obviously. It was clear that no one was taking Jet seriously. Excellent. Make them believe that they are humble workers trying to start a new life in a new city. Make them believe that they were in no way associated with the Fire Nation.

“He's a firebender, I'm telling you!” Jet persisted, angrily. “I’ve been watching them!”

“ _You_ ,” Tiani said in realization, her eyes widening and then narrowing in fury. “You’re the one that keeps spying on us! I saw you last night watching us in our apartment! You’re a creep!”

The Freedom fighter took a threatening step towards them and eyed her with hatred. “Are you angry, _Kitten_? Do you want to shoot fire at me? Go ahead, do it. Show everyone who you are.” 

Spirits, she wanted to. She wanted to burn that smirk off of his face and see if he was smiling then. She’d show him what she was really capable of and how deadly and powerful fire could be. But she prevented herself attacking, instead slamming the tray down on the counter and sneering at him. Fine, let him make the first move. Fire wasn’t necessary in order to bring him down. 

The officers slowly rose from their seats, their faces serious and calm. “Drop your swords, boy, nice and easy.”

Jet disregarded the two officers and started to walk towards the three of them, his hook swords raised. “You'll have to defend yourself. Then everyone will know.” He focused his attention on Tiani with predatory eyes. “I knew you hated me from the very beginning, Fan. Or is that even your real name?”

She gritted her teeth and braced her feet, ready to launch herself at him at any moment. She eyed the weapons the soldiers had strapped to their persons and then returned her gaze to Jet who was leering at her. 

“It’s a shame you’re a firebender. You’re so pretty, even with your scars. Imagine what a powerful couple we could have been. But the Fire Nation is evil. And that makes you evil, too. Come on, Fan, I know you hate me. Go ahead, show them what you can do,” Jet taunted her, trying to poke and pry some emotion out of her. Tiani hated to admit that it was working.

She was just about to reach over and grab the soldier’s dual swords when Zuko stepped in front of her protectively, snatching the swords just as the soldier was about to draw them. “You want a show? I'll give you a show.”

Tiani could hardly process anything, it was happening so fast. One second, the two men only stared at each other, then Zuko hooked his foot around the leg of a table and kicked it towards Jet who used the hook of his swords to easily jump over it. The blades shrieked as they connected viciously but separated less then a second after when Zuko jumped onto another table, balancing precariously on only one table leg after Jet sliced the table in half. 

Both were incredibly skilled but it was clear who had the advantage. Jet’s form wasn’t as steady and balanced, and the way he swung his swords wasn’t as efficient as Zuko. Then again, Zuko had been training on how to fight since he was barely old enough to walk. 

The Freedom Fighter continued to slice apart the table Zuko balanced on, eventually causing it to fall apart. The prince leapt into the air and swung his blades in a perfectly clean arc, narrowly missing Jet by a hair’s length .

Jet somersaulted backward to avoid being decapitated and landed in a crouch, not pausing for a moment before he was charging back at Zuko, their blades clashing in a flurry of sparks. 

Tiani clenched her fists, wishing she’d carried with her a weapon of some sort. If Jet so much as poked him, she would have him slaughtered. And she didn’t care if people saw. 

She must’ve looked away for a split second because suddenly Zuko was knocked out the door and into the street. That’s it. Without thinking, she snatched a large knife that was meant for cutting up herbs and roots from behind the counter and followed after everyone else to watch the fight. She’d kill him. 

“Please son, you're confused. You don't know what you're doing!” Iroh pleaded from the doorway. 

Tiani spied the fallen dual sword that had been knocked out of Zuko’s hands. She picked it up and watched the two fighting men, her chest heaving with rage. Her feet flew beneath her as she launched herself at jet, flipping over his head and landing in between him and Zuko in crouching position, with the dual sword and kitchen knife held up defensively. 

“You hurt him and you’ll have my blade to answer to,” She spat out maliciously, baring her teeth. 

“Such an angry kitten,” Jet mocked, swinging his blades at her. She locked them with her own, not backing down and giving him the satisfaction of knowing the anger it brewed inside of her. “I bet you really want to burn me right now, don’t you? Come on, Kitten, burn me.”

“Don’t talk to her like that!” Zuko came up from behind him and Jet removed one of his blades to block Zuko’s strike. 

He laughed at the two of them and retreated backwards. “Look at the two of you defending each other. Two firebenders coming to each other’s aid. That’s disgusting. What are you, in love or something? Or did he beat you into--”

She snapped, releasing the Black Tigress from her slumber. 

Jet barely had enough time to defend himself before she was upon him, blades spinning so fast they were nothing but a blur. Her strikes were strategic and perfectly executed, not meant to kill him...yet. She first wanted to wear him down, exhaust him...and then make the final blow. And make him feel it.

The provoking smile on his face was replaced with fear now. Fear that he was obviously losing and being pushed back. No longer was he on the offensive but the defensive. Oh, how the tables have turned. 

He bent backward to narrowly avoid her blade from slicing off his nose. The stupid wheatgrass straw that was still sticking out his mouth was cut in half and fluttered to the ground at his feet. In an effort to gain the higher ground, he leapt onto the edge of a well and pointed his remaining hook sword at her and Zuko accusingly. “You see that? The Fire Nation is trying to silence me. It'll never happen.”

A large crowd had gathered to watch the fight, forming a circle around them and whispering to each other. 

When Jet hooked his blade over the beam of the well and swung himself at her, she was ready. His foot soared over her head as she ducked and Zuko threw himself back into the fray, blocking another swing that was aimed for her. Tiani’s blood thrummed in her veins, circling Jet like a predator did it’s prey. Zuko did the same on his other side, surrounding him. 

“I told you not to test this kitten,” she drawled. “You might end up with a tiger attacking you instead.”

“Drop your weapons!” Two Dai Li soldiers approached them, making their way through the crowd to break up the fight. 

Tiani and Zuko backed away from Jet and stood next to Iroh, their blades resting at their sides. 

Jet pointed an accusing finger at the three of them. “Arrest them. They're Firebenders!”

“This poor boy is confused. We're just simple refugees,” Iroh told the Dai Li innocently. 

Pao was absolutely outraged, practically on the verge of crying. “This young man wrecked my tea shop, and assaulted my employees!”

“It's true sir. We saw the whole thing,” One of the soldiers who had been served inside attested. “This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city.”

Iroh was flattered and blushed. “Oh ho ho. That's very sweet.”

The two Dai Lee came up behind Jet to escort him towards the wooden wagon that was likely used to contain criminals and other problematic people. “Come with us, son.”

Jet attempted to hook one of them with his remaining hook sword but the skilled soldier easily caught it with his hand and disarmed him. Together, the two of them restrained him by using earthbending to bind his wrists with stones and then dragged him away. 

“ You don't understand! They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me!” The Freedom Fighter cried, only to be tossed inside and have the door slammed in his face. Silenced. 

Tiani looked away as the carriage out of sight with Jet inside to be thrown in a jail cell somewhere. 

The crowd began to disperse, leaving her, Zuko and Iroh the only ones remaining in the street. She felt Zuko come up beside her and bump his arm against hers. 

“You were good back there.”

She didn’t appreciate the praise. Jet had known who they were, and now he was going to rot in jail for the rest of his days because of it. He’d known the truth and everyone had believed their lies. People trusted them. She felt the Black Tigress inside her turn around in satisfaction and pad back to it’s secluded den to sleep. Dormant again. For now.


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I wanted to let you know that this chapter touches on physical abuse and was very hard to write. If this is triggering for you, then I strongly suggest not reading this chapter or just skipping past the italics portion at the beginning. Your mental health is far more important than a story and I want you all to take care of yourselves.  
> Anyway, I know this chapter is bit shorter than normal but it's still very important. The next one will be longer, I promise!
> 
> FeFe

____________________________

_“Selfish! Ignorant! Brat!” Her father yelled in between every snap of his belt against her bare back that was already covered in black and blue bruises. “How dare you disrespect your family!”_

_She screamed in agony every time he struck her, begging him to stop and sagging against the wall she was bracing herself against. “Father please! I’m sorry! I’M SORRY!”_

_“You bring dishonor to your family by associating yourself with that failure of a boy!” Fu Huang seethed, striking her again. “I will not have my daughter become a whore to a probably bastard boy!”_

_He had caught her with Zuko in the royal gardens after his war meeting was over. Tiani hadn’t meant for anything to ever happen, they were only twelve, but she couldn’t help the feeling that came over her as she had leaned forward and kissed him. It had only lasted less than a second, but it had been more than enough to infuriate her father who, for some reason, despised him._

_Fu Haung was one of the Firelord Ozai’s most trusted advisors and a close friend to him as well. If you could call their relationship a friendship. Apparently Ozai often spoke ill of his only son to Fu, causing her father to greatly dislike the young prince._

_Her father practically dragged her to their carriage after witnessing them, and didn’t speak to her during the whole ride back. The instant they arrived home, however, he threw her up against the wall, tore the back of her dress and beat her senselessly. By the time he had finished releasing his rage upon her, she no longer had the ability to cry out anymore, only able to utter a small whimper as she fell to her knees and sobbed silently._

_The servants descended upon her after her father stormed upstairs, covering her with a blanket and guiding her to her room where they dabbed warm water against the angry welts that had appeared across her back and shoulders._

_The scene faded to her looking up into a pair of black eyes, her body unable to move or produce fire. Tears slid down the sides of her face from sheer terror. The girl that straddled her sneered down at her with pure hatred. “You’re not gonna be so pretty after I’m done with ya.”_

_Tiani felt several hands hold her down, even though her body was paralyzed. She didn’t even have time to blink before the girl raised a crude looking knife and struck, the last thing she saw being its blade flashing in her face._

_______________________

She bolted upright in cold sweat, shaking and quivering in fear, her heart beating so fast she felt like it was about to burst from her chest. It was just a dream. A horrible, terrifying dream that was filled with memories she wished she could forget.

Too shaken to sleep, she left her bed, slipped on her boots and climbed onto the roof through the open window, sighing as the cool breeze dried the sweat that coated her skin. From up here, she could sit and gaze up at the stars...and wonder if the spirits were watching her.

They probably pity me, she thought to herself, leaning back bracing herself with her arms.

It was a surprise when Zuko suddenly climbed out with her, walking across the roof to take a seat next to her. “Trouble sleeping?” He asked.

“Yeah.”

“Is it about Jet?” He pried.

Yes? And also no. Jet asking if Zuko beat her had triggered a barrage of old memories from her past that she had tried so hard to shove into the back of her mind.

Her father had hit her before on multiple occasions, and she had been lashed with the belt before but not nearly as violently as he had that one time. She still had a pale scar on her left shoulder where he’d used the belt buckle instead of just the belt and broken the skin.

“That among other things,” She supplied, careful to not tell him too much information. “I’m fine.”

“It didn’t sound like it in there,” Zuko countered, looking at her with concern. “I’m surprised you didn’t wake uncle up.”

“I just have nightmares sometimes,” she responded shortly, closing herself off from him. “Don’t act like you don’t have them, too.”

“I do,” He said honestly. “They’re mainly about my mother. She sacrificed herself to save me. I still remember the night she came to me and woke me up to tell me goodbye. I wish I’d said more more to her.”

Tiani remembered when Zuko’s mother had died. They had been eleven and she’d comforted him for hours while he’d sobbed and cried against her about how unfair the world was.

The loose fitting shirt she was wearing slid off her shoulder, but she made no effort to pull it back up. “We all wish a lot of things. Because we’re human. We wish and regret.” She looked over to see him staring at her bare shoulder with narrowed eyes. A scoff escaped from her. “What, you’ve never seen a bare shoulder before?”

But Zuko wasn’t looking at her skin. Tiani quickly realized that the scar her father had inflicted on her was peeking over the fabric. She went to cover it but Zuko placed a hand over hers. “Who did that you?” He asked, his voice deathly calm.

Tiani wanted to lie. She wanted to tell him that it was from a fight during her time as an assassin or a surprise attack that she’d narrowly escaped from. But she couldn’t make herself do it. Lying to the concerned prince just felt wrong.

“Do you remember when we were twelve and we were sitting among the flowers in the royal gardens, and when I said that all the flowers were pretty, you said that they weren’t as pretty as me?”

Zuko blinked, his cheeks reddening a bit. “Uh, yeah I remember.”

“Do you remember when you kissed me?”

He turned a darker shade of pink, even in the darkness, she could see him blushing. “What does this have to do with--?”

“Remember when my father caught us and took me away?”

He nodded sadly. “That was the last time I saw you in person. We only communicated through secret messages after that.”

“Do you know why?”

“I assume it was because your parents were angry.”

Oh they were angry all right. Her father didn’t speak to her for weeks. “Yes. But saying that my father was angry is an understatement.” A sigh. “After we got back home, he beat me.”

Zuko inhaled sharply, his fingers curling into fists. “I’ll kill him.”

“The scar on my shoulder is from when the belt buckle cut me.” She jumped when she felt his finger touch it. “What are you--?”

“I had no idea your father was such a cruel man. It seems we both have dysfunctional families.” He traced the down her shoulder and she shivered as it left a trail of fire in its wake. “I’m so sorry I didn’t know.”

“It’s not your fault,” She told him softly, her voice hoarse. Why did a single finger cause her to tingle so much? “You didn’t know. And I was too terrified of my father to say anything.”

Zuko gave her a small smile, and she couldn’t help but feel disappointed as his finger pulled away from her and he stood up. “I’m going to go back inside and see if I can sleep some more. You coming?”

She shook her head. “No, I think I’ll stay out here a little while longer.”

“Okay. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

He swung himself back through the window, leaving her alone up on the rooftop with only her thoughts to keep her company. She didn’t move until the sun began to rise.


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness we're nearly at 300 views! This is crazy! Thank you all so much!  
> This chapter is a lot more wholesome than the last one which was pretty dark so I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a comment down below if you want to tell me anything or have any questions!
> 
> FeFe

__________________________

A couple days passed and Tiani was getting used to the daily life of living in Ba Sing Se. She didn’t usually have to work until early afternoon, which gave her a couple hours to shop around and explore the city on her own, sometimes dragging Zuko along with her, though he usually didn’t say much.

The tea shop was always busy now that Iroh was in charge of making all the tea. Most of the time, there wasn’t even an empty chair to sit in. That was during the late evening when everyone was finished with their work and needed a hot drink. It was more on the calm side after opening.

Tiani hummed to herself as she cut into a ginger root for their daily batch of ginger tea. It was an unusually quiet afternoon and she was enjoying the low stress environment for the time being.

Zuko came back from serving a customer, and although she didn’t see his face, she could tell he was on edge. “Uncle, Tiani, we have a problem,” he said in a low voice as to not be overheard.

She looked up from her ginger root with concern. “Why what’s wrong?”

Iroh climbed down from a ladder after stacking some jars on the upper shelves.

“One of the customers is on to us. Don't look now, but there is a girl over there at the corner table. She knows we're Fire Nation,” Zuko murmured.

Tiani glanced over at the customers and saw a girl sitting at the farthest table on the right. She took a polite sip of her tea and smiled to herself. Tiani scowled at the girl. She was so pretty with long rich brown hair that was pulled into two braids on either side of her head, large eyes, and fair skin.

Zuko grabbed his uncle’s arm as Iroh glanced over his shoulder to look at the girl. “Didn't I say don't look!”

She rolled her eyes. There was no way that girl knew they were Fire Nation. She looked far too sweet and innocent to want to kill them. Idiot. Her humming continued as she went back to cutting the ginger root, trying to ignore the rest of their conversation. No one knew about them except for Jet and he was probably still in prison.

“You're right Zuko. I've seen that girl in here quite a lot. Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you.”

Tiani missed the root and nicked her finger instead, letting out a muffled curse and sucking on it. A girl had a crush on Zuko? That girl liked Zuko? She could help but feel angry and annoyed. But why. Zuko was attractive, of course girls were going to show interest in him. So why did she want to smash the ginger with her fist?

“What?” Zuko cried, reeling back in surprise.

“Thank you for the tea,” She heard a soft pleasant voice say at the counter. Glowering, she looked up to see the girl hand Zuko some coins to pay for her drink. “What's your name?”

His name is Zuko, she wanted to snarl at the girl. His name is Zuko, but you wouldn’t know that because we can’t trust you. He trusts me and not you. You’re a stranger.

“My name's Lee. This is Fan and my Uncle. We just moved here,” He introduced himself and the rest of them. Iroh smiled at the girl but Tiani kept her expression blank and made no attempt to make friends or create a good first impression.

“Hi Lee, my name is Jin.” Of course she had to have a pretty name, too. “Thank you and, well, I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime?”

No he most definitely did not. He was much too awkward to go on a date with someone. You’re not even his type. Tiani thought for a moment, realizing that she didn’t actually know his type. Whatever, you’re just not what he likes. Not that I care.

Iroh threw his arm around his nephew and butted in before Zuko even had a chance to speak. “He’d love to!”

Jin smiled happily. “Great! I will meet you in front of the shop at sundown.”

Tiani brought the knife down so hard it split the ginger root in half and buried itself deep into the wooden cutting board.

__________________________

Feelings were so strange. Especially hers. She couldn’t help the way she felt towards that Jin girl. Anger. Irritation. And quite possibly....jealousy? No, she wasn’t jealous. That was stupid. Why would she be jealous?

She caught the ball she had bought from the shops earlier that day and tossed it back up in the air again, watching it fall as she laid in her bed and repeated it again and again.

Zuko had been on his date for about two hours now. She wondered if he was having fun. If Jin batted those pretty eyes at him and got him to do stupid things. A sudden thought came into her head. What if he’d been right? What if she really did know they were Fire Nation? What if she worked for Azula or those earthbender guys and Zuko was now trapped somewhere, unable to firebend. Was he captured somewhere cold and wet and hoping that she would come to his aid? What if--

The screen door slid open and Zuko entered, shutting it behind him.

“How was your date with Jin?” She asked, enunciating the girl’s name and saying it like it tasted like spoiled food. “Did you have fun?”

“It was nice,” He replied casually. She heard the sound of him sitting down on his bed but she refused to look at him.

Tiani threw the ball up and caught it again. “So what did you do on your little date?”

“Well we went to dinner and I had to cover for you guys and say we were part of a traveling circus that I used to juggle in, and then we walked to a--”

Her fingers dug into the ball as she caught it again. “No.” She finally turned her head to make eye contact with him. “I meant what did you do?” Why was she acting this way? This was unfair to Zuko. But she needed to know. She wanted to know. She had to know.

Zuko looked confused. “We ate and then--”

“Did you kiss her?” Tiani demanded, cutting him off. She snatched the ball out of the air and sat up.

“W-what?” Zuko sputtered, definitely not expecting that at all.

“I said _did you kiss her_?” She repeated, slower this time so he could hear every pronunciation. When he didn’t provide an answer, she got impatient. “It’s a simple question, Zuko.”

“Why do you want to know so bad, Tiani?” He retorted, crossing his arms. “Why should I have to answer that question?”

Tiani suddenly found herself raising her voice, getting more and more irritated as the conversation progressed. “Because I’m asking the question and you’re supposed to respond! It’s called common etiquette, ever heard of it?”

“What I don’t understand is that you’re getting all worked up over me going on a date with a girl. Sounds to me like you’re jealous.” He gave her a sideways look. “Just admit it.”

She made an offended noise and pointed a finger at him angrily. “I know what you’re trying to do and it’s not going to work on me! Nope! You are not taking control of this conversation. Just answer the damn question, Zuko!”

He eyed her challengingly. “And you answer mine.”

“Stop arguing with me!”

“Stop _yelling_!”

She let out a sound of frustration and threw the ball against the wall so hard it popped. When her breathing was back under control, she looked at him through the locks of hair that had fallen in her face. She released a pained sigh and tucked a strand behind her ear. “I don’t want to argue with you, Zuko. And I’m not going to. Besides, I already have the answer I need when you avoided my question.” Her bed creaked as laid back down and pulled her blanket over her, turning to face the wall. “Goodnight, Zuko.”

“Tiani I--” He started to say.

“ _Goodnight_ , Zuko.”

And just like that, the conversation was over.

________________________

Tiani got up early the next morning while Iroh and Zuko were still asleep and walked down to the tea shop which was not yet open.

She slid the door open and stepped inside. The shop was dark when the door was shut, and oh so quiet and peaceful. Maybe just a little bit creepy even.

With her sights set on cleaning the whole shop from top to bottom, she cracked her knuckles before using her firebending to light the multiple candles and lanterns, and got to work.

She was barely fifteen minutes in, sweeping the floors, when there was a knock at the door. Assuming that it was probably Pao, she set the broom against the wall and opened, her eyes widening when she found Jin smiling at her. Spirits above--

“Hi! It’s Fan, right?”

Tiani didn’t share the same positive attitude. “Sorry, we’re not open.” She went to shut the door but Jin grabbed it to stop her from closing it.

“Can we just talk a bit? It’s about Lee.”

You mean Zuko, she thought to herself.

The firebender narrowed her eyes at the girl suspiciously. What, did the two of them already fall in love and she was here to tell her that they were going to elope? Or did Jin know who they were and she had come to confront her about it? Getting rid of her would be easy. There was no sign of muscle mass on her arms from years of training and although she noticed that there were calluses on her hands, they weren’t those of a skilled warrior but of a poorer person who was used to having to use their hands. If Jin tried anything, making her silent would be an easy task.

Tiani pursed her lips and allowed Jin to come inside and take a seat at one of the tables. She gestured for the assassin to join her.

“So what about Lee do you want to talk about?” Tiani asked blandly, keeping her voice calm and disinterested. If she was going to question her about his scars, the girl was getting thrown out the door.

“Last night when I went out with him I had lots of fun--” oh here it comes, she’s going to confess her undying love for him. Tiani wanted to roll her eyes and fall asleep at the table. “--he was rather awkward and didn’t talk that much, kind of blunt too--and yeah he was fun to go out with--but I kept getting the impression that he didn’t feel the same way I felt about him.”

“And what makes you think that?” She propped her head up by her arm, eager for this conversation to end so she could get back to work.

“Throughout the entire date, he kept bringing you up.”

Tiani lifted her head, suddenly listening. “ _Me_?”

“Yeah. Throughout the entire date it was all you. He compared you to everything. At first I had no idea who he was talking about, then I realized that you were the woman behind the counter. For a while I was kind of jealous, I have to admit.”

She stared at the girl and snorted. “You were jealous of _me_? Why?”

Fan shrugged, tapping her finger against the table. “Because you’re so pretty. You carry yourself with such poise and grace and have so much confidence.” Ha! If only she knew the insecurity she felt on a day to day basis. “I know you’re probably self conscious of your scars--” Seeing her wince, she quickly said, “But in all honesty I think they only make you prettier! I think Lee really admires you and likes you a lot. He just wouldn’t shut up about you.”

Tiani still wasn’t convinced. “He doesn’t like me, don’t be ridiculous. We’re just close friends.”

“I beg to differ,” Fan chuckled. Her expression became a little sad and wistful. “I would give anything for a man to obsess over me the way he did you.”

“Jin, I have to ask you,” Tiani started slowly. “Did the two of you...kiss?”

The girl didn’t seem offended by the rather personal and intimate question and laughed lightly. “Yes. But I initiated it and he didn’t really kiss me back. He just sort of left me there and told me that he was sorry and that ‘it was complicated’.”

Tiana frowned. She hadn’t been on very many dates, but wasn’t it kind of rude to just leave your date without a second thought? Spirits, Zuko knew nothing about dates or romance. “He just left you? He didn’t even walk you home?” When Fan nodded she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay, I really need to educate him on proper etiquette.”

That elicited another soft laugh from Jin.

Zuko had always been an awkward child, always hesitant to try anything new and telling her to be careful whenever she did anything the slightest bit risky. And after three years, he was still the awkward boy she remembered, just a lot angrier.

He’d never been good with girls either. Mai would flirt with him constantly and he never caught on every single time. He probably didn’t go on many dates while being banished. Not that she was any different. Being an assassin was not something that attracted men.

“Listen, I really like him. I really do. But I’ve been coming here for a little while now and I see the way you two look at each other. You have something far greater than just friendship.” Tiani must’ve made a face because Jin waved her hands in front of her face in embarrassment. “That came out really creepy and I promise I wasn’t spying on you or anything, I swear!”

The firebender felt something soften inside of her, like ice beginning to thaw. Maybe this girl wasn’t so bad. Perhaps she had judged too quickly. Tiani stood and saw panic flash in Jin’s eyes, the poor girl was probably terrified she had said something that had offended her and now she was being thrown out. Quite the opposite, actually.

“Would you kindly assist me with making us a cup of tea?” She asked her, looking over her shoulder as she made her way behind the counter. “It’s a little chilly outside this morning and a warm drink would be nice.”

Jin’s shoulders loosened with relief and she eagerly came behind the counter to help her. “What would you like me to do?”

“Grab me some cups from the cupboard so we have something to drink our tea from,” Tiani said as she tore some leaves from the *Cha Hua plant to create green tea. She paused and added, “Please.”

The girl gladly grabbed some bowls and set them on the counter. “So how long have you known Lee?”

Tiani bit the inside of her mouth, deciding on how much she would tell her without giving anything away that might put them in jeopardy. Just leave out anything having to do with the Fire Nation, she told herself sternly. “I’ve known him since we were very young. We were childhood best friends.”

“Were?” Jin questioned, grabbing a pile of sticks and the teapot holder. “So you had a falling out?”

She grimaced. “I wouldn’t call it a falling out but rather an unfortunate series of events that caused us to not see or talk to each other for a long time.” A painful series of events. Her body was stiff as she filled the tea pot with water and set it on the holder, deftly striking two spark rocks together to create a small fire to heat the water. “We reconnected not long ago by chance. And now we work together.”

“I see,” the girl said thoughtfully. “So was Lee a serious little kid that you somehow befriended when no one else would because he was so scary and mean?”

Tiani drew her lips into a thin line, choosing to busy herself by wiping some unwashed dishes with a towel and placing them in the rack to try. “No. He was very shy and timid. It took him a while to open up to me and become playful and quite arrogant. And then we separated for a time. When we found each other again, he’d changed drastically. He hardly ever smiles anymore.”

“That’s too bad,” Jin said, frowning. “He smiled a little during our date last night. He should do it more, it’s a flattering look for him.”

Hearing the water boiling inside, Tiani took the Cha Hua leaves and dropped them inside the teapot. “I don’t usually talk this much with a person I hardly know.”

Jin tilted her head to the side and grinned at her. “And why’s that? Are you socially awkward?”

“No, I just normally don’t like interacting with people. I went through a time in my life not long ago where I didn’t trust anyone. So I closed myself off and shut everyone out,” Tiani told her, not noticing her joke.

“That sounds like a sad way to go through life,” Jin commented. “Sometimes the best thing you can do to help yourself is to talk to someone such as a close friend.”

“I was living on my own, I didn’t have anyone to talk to. I didn’t have any friends,” she responded a tad bit defensively. “The places I stayed in weren’t exactly filled with sweet fun loving people who gave out free hugs out of the kindness of their heart.”

Jin laughed at Tiani’s dry humor and lifted the lid of the teapot, inhaling the scent of fresh green tea. “Mmm it smells so good!” She removed the pot from the holder and poured the tea into the two cups, handing one to her. “Well, since you’ve told some personal stuff about yourself to me, that makes us friends right?”

Tiani was flabbergasted, blinking rapidly and unsure of what to say and how to respond. “Uh, I guess--”

“Then it’s settled.” Jin lifted her cup. “A toast! To being friends!”

Friends. The only person she considered a friend was Zuko and it was quite complicated at the moment. What was the harm in being friends with an Earth Kingdom girl? The Firebender raised her glass and clinked it against the other one, a bit of tea sloshing over the rim and onto the floor, but she didn’t care. She had a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cha Hua (Pronounched chah-Hooah): A type of plant that is used to create green tea. The name translates to "tea flower" in Chinese


	16. Chapter 15

“You seem awfully free spirited this evening,” Iroh noticed as he put away the dishes and prepared to close up the tea shop for the night. “Much different than two nights ago. Did something happen to make you feel this way?”

Tiani smiled to herself, wiping the trays down with a wet rag. Since she had seen Jin yesterday, her mood has skyrocketed. The instant the shop had closed last night, she joined up with Jin and walked around the shops for hours, talking and shopping until her feet were sore. It wasn’t until late that night that she tiptoed back into the apartment and fell asleep. Even though Jin did most of the talking and she mainly listened, it was still enjoyable. Jin had gone on and on about how her parents were skilled artisans and she was mostly in charge of cooking meals for them and cleaning their home, but despite them always being busy crafting and working, they always had time to sit down and eat dinner with her and her younger sister, Min. It sounded like a lovely life. She wished she had been born with something as precious as that.

“Tiani.”

She broke out of her reverie and looked at Iroh with a dazed look on her face. “Sorry, what?”

“I asked you why you seem so happy this evening,” Iroh said, untying his apron and hanging it on a hook. “I heard you get back home late last night.”

“Oh, that. I was just--” She started to say quickly but Iroh winked at her.

“Seeing a cute boy, are you?”

Tiani waved both her hands rapidly. “No, no, no! I wasn’t--”

“It’s alright, I understand that this is private.” He nudged her playfully and said in a hushed tone, “I won’t tell anyone. Not even my nephew.”

She tossed the wet rag down in the sink and dragged a hand down her face frustratedly. “I wasn’t seeing a boy, I was out with Jin.”

“Jin? The girl Zuko went out with?” Iroh looked puzzled. “I thought you disliked her. You were very vocal about it just the other night.”

Her hand waved at him dismissively. “Yeah, yeah I know, I know. Zuko and I had an argument about it the other night and I got up early the next morning to take out my anger on the shop by cleaning it and Jin came by and asked to speak to me. So we did, and we just got to know each other...and apparently we’re friends now I guess.”

Iroh was ecstatic and congratulated her. “Well this is wonderful to hear! I’m so happy for you.”

Tiani scowled at him in annoyance, finding his reaction a little too extreme for her taste. “You’re acting as if I just told you I was getting married or I was pregnant.”

“Who’s getting married or pregnant?” Zuko emerged from the back room after stocking the shelves with supplies. He eyed them both judgingly. “What are you two _talking_ about?”

“Actually I was just about to get you,” Tiani said brightly, quickly cutting off Iroh before he had a chance to fill him in. She untied her apron and threw it on the hook. “Come here.” Zuko let out a surprised yelp as she yanked him towards her by the ties of his apron and undid them for him. “I want to go out with you.”

“You what?!” Zuko’s eyes became as big as saucers, even his scarred eye got bigger. “Go out as in go out on a _date_?”

She slapped him lightly on the arm, snorting. “No, you dumb sea urchin! Let’s go check out the city and look at all the lights. It’s especially beautiful at night and the sun is setting right now. Just come on. It’ll be fun. I promise.” She didn’t give him a chance to say yes or no. He cried out as she grabbed his arm and dragged him out the door and into the street.

“Have fun!” Iroh called after them, smiling at the two of them with so much happiness in his heart.

______________________

“So why did you _really_ want to ‘go out’.” Zuko once they were outside and started to walk through the market. He didn’t look convinced she actually wanted to just admire the lights and wander the streets just for fun. “You’re really good at it but I’ve figured out how to tell when you’re lying. You always raise one or both brows.”

Tiani gasped, raising her brows high into her hairline, and playfully bumped into him. “I do not!”

“Yes you do. You’re doing it right now.” He pointed at his own brows and she lowered hers, grumbling to herself. “So what’s wrong.”

Her shoulders sagged. In truth she’d wanted some time to explain that her behavior the other night was undeserving and that she felt terrible about how she’d treated him. The truth was that Zuko had been right. She’d been jealous. One, because she didn’t like other girls flirting with him, and two, she was envious that he was having girls making googly eyes all the time and no one had asked her out. The compliments Jin gave her had definitely helped bring up her self esteem but still…

“I guess I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for the other night. You were right, I was jealous. But it’s ok now--I talked to Jin about it--”

It was his turn to raise his brows. “You talked to Jin? Is that your way of saying you killed her and dumped her body somewhere?”

“Zuko!” She exclaimed in astonishment. Not finding his joke funny. “Don’t say things like that, someone might overhear you. She and I just talked things out and actually developed a good relationship. I don’t harbor any animosity towards her.”

“Okay?” He still sounded uncertain. “So that’s why you dragged me out the door so violently? You just wanted to tell me you figured things out with a girl I went on a date with once?”

No, she wanted to say, I wanted to spend some time alone with you for a while.

Tiani was so conflicted. She didn’t feel anything of the romantic sort towards Zuko, right? That was absurd. Sure he was attractive and mysterious-- She stopped herself. No. They were childhood friends. Having feelings for him would just be so wrong in so many different ways. It would be like loving your brother...Tiani shuddered, the thought making her stomach twist. She and Zuko were just friends. End of story. What Jin told her yesterday was probably just her completely misreading their body language. There was no way Zuko felt anything towards her. Right?

Tiani wanted to scream. So why was she second guessing herself?

If only Master Shyshou was here, she thought to herself. He’d know what to do and how to help her.

“No, I wanted to say I am sorry for how I treated you. I was jealous of the attention you were getting.” She made sure to leave out that seeing him with another girl made her blood boil.

Zuko barked a laugh. “Yeah I forgive you but are you kidding me? You didn’t like how I was getting more attention than you? Have you seen the amount of guys that come in just for you to serve them?” At her stunned expression he groaned. “Are you seriously that oblivious? Those guys don’t want me to serve them tea, they want you to. Look around you, I’ll bet there’s at least three guys checking you out right now.”

She guffawed, not taking him seriously and making her way to a small market booth that was selling fans. There were hundreds of booths all lined on either side of the street, each one more inviting and interesting than the last. “You’re out of your mind, you know that?”

He came up beside her and watched as she looked at the various assortments of fans spread out on display. “Why don’t you believe me?”

“Because I just find it hard to believe, okay?” Tiani turned her attention back to the fans, a vibrant amber one trimmed with gold and scarlet red caught her eye and she picked it up to admire the elegant design.

“A beautiful fan for a beautiful lady!” The vendor commented with a wide smile. “It even matches your eyes!”

A part of her wanted to believe the compliments but there was still a part of her that refused to listen. They’re all lying. They are just saying those things to make you feel better about yourself. Once, she had been the jealousy of everyone, now she was scarred. Her attacker had known what she was doing. She had wanted to destroy the one thing that made her confident about herself.

Tiani looked down at the fan and traced the rich scarlet red line that looked like a string of red thread going across it, her face becoming as hard as steel.

“When I was making that fan, I didn’t intend on adding that red line across the middle,” the vendor said, pointing at it. “That had been a mistake on my part. It started out as just a small red dash. I was already so close to being finished I knew that I couldn’t just give up and start over, so I made due with what I had and painted the line. I actually think it looks so much better with it than without. Sometimes the best things happen by accident!”

She scoffed. Her scars didn’t come from a simple accident but from mere foolishness that set her up for a lifetime of pain and suffering. Tiani understood the metaphor the vendor was trying to convey and she hated it. She hated that he pitied her. Because that’s what everyone thought when they gazed upon her face. Pity. Always pity. That was why she wore the mask. So people wouldn’t have to cover their mouths at the sight of the scars and pity the poor girl they were inflicted upon. Maybe putting it back on would be best.

No. She couldn’t hide anymore. Not without putting Zuko and Iroh at risk. Maybe she was ready to move on and start a new life without her only drive being revenge and death. Maybe Ba Sing Se really was the best place for her to be right now. If she stayed here, it would be a fresh start. A second chance. There was still so much anger and rage stored deep within her but perhaps the best option would be to drop the assassin role and take on a new one: Fan who works in a tea shop in the Outer Ring.

Her fingers tightened around the fan, going back to mulling over the vendor’s words. Jin had told her that her scars only added to her beauty. Tiani didn’t know if that was the case but...building back up her confidence could be the first thing she could start working on as she settled into her new life.

When she’d regained her focus she narrowed her eyes in determination at the vendor. “How much for the fan?”

________________________

They visited dozens of other booths that night, neither of them making any effort to start a conversation and mostly just enjoying each other’s company. Tiani had asked if Zuko wanted to head back to the apartment since she’d already told him what she’d wanted to say. But he had shaken his head and insisted that they stay out longer.

She twirled her newly bought fan in her fingers expertly, treating it as she would a knife, using it to expel the anxiety currently flowing through her veins. Why wasn’t he speaking? It had been nearly an hour since he’d last spoken. Occasionally, she caught him looking at her but whenever he noticed, he looked away quickly. Was he angry that she was so unaccepting of herself or was this just one of his usual stone faces? Either way, it was getting on her nerves to the point where she couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

“You haven’t spoken in a while. Everything okay up in that head of yours? Or do I need to shake it a little to get the gears working?” It was a sorry attempt at being casual and she mentally facepalmed. Smooth.

“I was just thinking,” He said after a moment.

“A copper piece for your thoughts?”

“I was, uh, admiring the lanterns. They’re very, uh, green.” He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, avoiding eye contact when she arched a brow at him. She glanced up at the green lanterns that hung high above their heads.

“Yes they are very green indeed. Now tell me what’s really on your mind. Don’t even try to come up with something. Iroh and I both know that isn’t your strong suit. Just spit it out, whatever you have to say.”

He hesitated, stumbling over his words. “You shouldn’t be so insecure about how you look because, uh, you’re kind of really pretty. I know you hate your scars and you were beautiful before you got them--but now you’re really…” She heard him swallow hard. “Beautiful.”

Tiani halted in the middle of the street, not caring that she was receiving glares from people who had to move out the way to get past her. “Wait...you think I’m... _beautiful_?”

Zuko looked down at the ground bashfully. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful. Even that day in the woods when you pinned me up against that tree and put a blade to my through. I didn’t know who you were at that moment but even with the mask and the furious look in your eyes, I thought you were beautiful.” He noticed the tears that had begun to roll down her cheeks and his eyes widened in panic. “Oh! I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything--you asked for my thoughts and well I gave you my thoughts--if this offended you or anything I won’t speak about it ever again--”

He thinks I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. 

She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Right there in the middle of the market, among the smell of spices, the sound of music playing, and under the green lanterns that lazily swayed in the cool night breeze. 

“Tiani, you--” his voice was breathless and shaky. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, throwing her arms around him and inhaling the scent of campfire and jasmine tea that was him. “Thank you.” Her arms tightened around him and she felt his hands wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer. 

And the ice that encased her heart began to crack.


	17. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're at over 300 views! This is crazy! I am so grateful for all of you so much!  
> FeFe

___________________________

“So you kissed him?!” Jin exclaimed excitedly. “Wait, tell me everything and don’t leave out any details. Was it on the lips?”

A week had gone by since Tiani had kissed Zuko. It hadn’t been on the lips--only on the cheek--but their relationship had drastically changed since then. It was a strange mix between being close friends and something more...there was far too much subtle flirting exchanged for it to be only a friendship. However, not much had physically happened since that night. Actually, it was mostly her doing all the flirting. One thing about Zuko was that he was incredibly awkward, and since her confidence was higher than ever, it was easy to make him blush.

Although it was obvious that Zuko liked her, he had been difficult lately. Tiani could tell that while their lives were profitable and comfortable, he was restless. So that was why she had come over to Jin’s place to ask for advice. There had been the option of asking Iroh, but the old man probably would have told her to make him tea or something. She needed advice from a girl. A girl that hadn’t grown up the way she had.

The two sat cross legged across from each other in Jin’s quaint home, a pot of hot green tea placed on the table between them.

Tiani took a small sip from her cup of tea. “It wasn’t that exciting. I only kissed him on the cheek.” That was a lie. Hearing him call her beautiful had warmed something deep inside her. It had touched her so deeply that she just acted and did it. It wasn’t really an act of love but of gratefulness and appreciation.

Jin was handling the situation so...nicely. There was not a single sign of jealousy on her face, only happiness. How was she not bitter? Didn’t she like Zuko--Lee--too? This must be a hard conversation for her.

“Still!” Jin said. “You’ve taken several steps forward! It won’t be long before you two are smooching in the back room constantly."

Tiani choked on her tea and wrinkled her nose at her distastefully. “I wouldn’t want him to distract me from my work.”

“But that’s the fun part,” Jin insisted and then wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “The risk of getting caught in the middle of--”

“Okay, okay, okay, I get it--you don’t have to tell anymore,” She cringed. As an assassin, she’d done many stupid risky things, nearly losing her life in several instances but the sort of "risky" that Jin was talking about---ugh, she wanted to gag. For her own sanity, she changed the subject. “You’re not the least bit jealous?”

Jin laughed, her golden-green eyes twinkling at her. “What? Of course not! I accepted the fact that Lee didn’t like me when he walked away at the end of the date after I’d kissed him. I would be lying if I said I’m not a little envious that a guy like Lee likes you so much, but the two of you seem like you’ve had a really rough past. You both deserve so much happiness. If you’re happy, I’m happy, Fan. Friends support each other.” She looked down at her cup of tea. “I just have to wait a little longer for a person to come my way.”

“You’re really pretty and really nice. I’m sure someone will fall for you,” Tiani assured her. She was still getting used to giving people compliments and they always came out strange.

Jin flashed her a smile that could make any boy within a three mile radius go starry eyed, it was so dazzling. “Oh I know that! I just don’t like waiting very much.”

“Uh..” Was her only response, taken aback by Jin’s overwhelming sense of confidence. She gave her a small smile. Jin’s big personality and positive outlook on life reminded her so much of her old friend, Ty Lee. The acrobatic girl had been so nice to her when they were younger, teaching her how to do back handsprings and cartwheels until they were almost as good as her. She’d shown her so much kindness when Mai and Azula picked on her for choosing to read books instead of play games, always raising her spirits. Tiani missed her.

Jin got up and sat down behind her, gently running a hand down through her hair which she’d left down today, not bothering to put it in its usual side braid. “You have such pretty hair, Fan! Can I braid it? I’ll give a new look to your regular style.”

Her mother had always raved about her hair and her eyes. “Eyes like mine and hair like your grandmother,” she always used to say, taking pride that her daughter had inherited her own dark amber eyes that ran in her family. Her hair however, was a deep mahogany brown that looked almost black until it was under direct sunlight. Apparently she and her grandmother were the only ones with that hair color within her family.

According to the servants, her parents had cried for joy when they saw that she had been born beautiful, even going as far as to say that they would give her away to an orphanage and try again if she hadn’t been. What lovely parents she had.

She nodded, enjoying the feeling of Jin pulling a brush through her hair and twisting strands of it together. It took Jin only ten minutes to put together a hairstyle she deemed suitable for her face shape and proudly handed her a mirror which she hesitantly took.

Her eyes widened in surprise at the look Jin had created. It was simple, only a high ponytail with a loose coiled braid that fell gracefully over her shoulder. It wasn’t until now that she realized how long her hair had gotten over the past three years. The braid itself went past her chest. Tiani inspected the hairstyle with the mirror, enraptured. It was far more elegant and regal than what she usually wore, almost a mix between something so simple yet so...wealthy. So...her.

“It’s very pretty,” she said with admiration. “And it looks so easy to recreate as well. Thank you.”

“Lee’s going to thank you more when he sees you with it,” Jin quipped, pulling a few strands of her hair out to frame her face. “I know it.”

Tiani lowered the mirror and looked over her shoulder at Jin with furrowed brows. “I thought this was just for fun.”

“Nah, that’s boring. You should show up and see if he notices anything different about you. Men are normally oblivious to everything. If he sees the change, then he for sure is head over heels for you,” Jin told her cunningly, and then made a teasing face. “Wow you really know nothing about men, do you?”

She scowled.

______________________________

“I’m back!” She called, sliding open the door to their apartment with a straw basket hanging from her arm. “I got groceries. Sorry I’m a little late. I got a little _sidetracked_.”

Apparently the new hairstyle Jin created for her was indeed suitable for her face shape and flattered her perfectly. Tiani hadn’t believed Jin at all until she encountered two men at the market while purchasing groceries. They’d watched her from afar, making crude comments as she picked out cucumbers, carrots, fish, and other things they needed. She’d ignored them, keeping her temper under control.

It wasn’t long after she had left the market that she noticed that they were following her but keeping their distance, unsure when and how they would approach her. It didn’t take them long to make their move, coming up on either side of her to keep her from escaping. She didn’t attack until one of them grabbed her rear, snatching a cucumber from her basket and slapping it against their faces so hard, it snapped in half. With only a couple well aimed kicks to their stomach and groin area, they were a blubbering mess on the ground.

Such a shame that their defeat had cost the life of a perfectly ripe cucumber.

“It’s quite alright, Tiani,” Iroh said with understanding, shuffling out of the bedroom they all shared. “Zuko’s in the bedroom in case you’re wondering, by the way.” He started to go through the basket she’d set on the counter that contained their groceries. “Your new hairstyle is lovely,” he added as she turned her back and headed towards their room.

Tiani paused to give the old man a respectful bow of her head and slipped inside.

Zuko had his back facing her when she entered. His arms were folded under his chin as he looked out the window, his dark hair fluttering in the wind. Over the past week, he’d grown it out, now it was getting shaggier. It wouldn’t be long before it fell in his eyes.

Despite being respectful and kind to her as of late, she could tell that the prince was restless. He hardly slept anymore and the smiles he gave her were forced and pained, not reaching his eyes. He wasn’t happy in Ba Sing Se and it hurt her to see him like this. In a way, she felt the same. Life serving tea was so comfortable and simple, but she missed the purpose she once had while working as an assassin. Was working in a tea shop really what life had in store for her?

The sound of the screen door opening and then closing made him break out of his thoughts and he looked towards the source of the sound, instantly brightening when he saw her. “Tiani, hi.” He noticed her hair and raised both his brows. “Your hair! You look nice...uh, I mean--pretty. Nice is too casual.” He moved from the window to sit down in his bed, rubbing his eyes wearily. “Sorry, I’m just tired. I haven’t gotten much sleep lately.”

She sidled up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Would you mind telling me what’s wrong? You’ve been acting strange lately and I'm getting worried. Is it about me?”

He covered her hand with his own and grabbed hold of it, bringing his eyes over to meet hers. “No, of course not. I just...I’m really frustrated right now. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life serving tea and living in a place where I know that if my true identity is revealed I, and the people I care about will die.” He released a pained sigh. “And then there’s the thought that the Avatar is still out there. I still need to capture him and regain my honor.”

She stilled and narrowed her eyes at him. “Zuko, stop making the Avatar your top priority. You come first. Your health comes first. And your honor.” She cupped the side of his face to turn it towards her. “Your honor isn’t something you gain just by doing something. That is for you to find within yourself.”

A small genuine smile worked its way onto his lips. “What would I do without you?”

Tiani smirked. “Probably die.”

He chuckled and played with her braid. “When did you do this?”

“You can thank Jin for the new hairstyle, I want to wear it from now on. I think it flatters me,” she told him with a wink.

“Well, you look really pretty.”

Tiani flashed him the most charming smile she could muster. “I know.”


	18. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Before we begin, I want to make a couple pointers. I came to conclusion to change the ages of the characters in this work to be more suitable for the story, and to also be near the same age as Tiani, who I edited to be SEVENTEEN instead of sixteen. Originally, she and Zuko were going to remain sixteen, but I felt like that age was still too young. So I made both of them older. That means that she actually spent FOUR years living on her own. NOT three. I just wanted to make that clear so no one is confused.  
> Thank you for all your love and support,  
> FeFe

______________________

Time alone in the back room was always the best part of working in a tea shop. It was so perfectly quiet and tranquil, and it always smelled of fresh herbs, not to mention it was one of the few times she could get some peace and quiet. Iroh, while being so kind and wise, was incredibly nosy. The old man had noticed the change in chemistry between her and Zuko and was always asking questions about their relationship. If she was being honest, Tiani didn’t even know what she and Zuko were. They were obviously more than friends...but neither had made any more to “proclaim their feelings for each other” other than Zuko calling her beautiful than one night. It was incredibly frustrating and Tiani was very tempted to voice her irritation in the matter. She was a person that needed answers and detested being left without questions.

Standing on tip-toe while on top of a stool in order to reach the top shelf that held the tea leaves she needed, she strained her arms, muttering curses under her breath. Where was Zuko when she needed him? The sea urchin would probably make fun of her and create a big show of him grabbing her the necessary tea leaves.

Her hand reached into the jar that contained mint leaves and she climbed down from the stool, stopping when she heard Iroh and Pao speaking to someone outside whom she did not recognize. Their voices were muffled through the screen door and she slid it open to take a look.

“Mushie, if you stay, I will make you Assistant Manager. Wait, Senior Assistant manager!” Pao said desperately, his voice practically on the verge of begging.

A man clad in luxurious green silk robes and flanked by three intimidating body guards smiled Iroh, his multiple rings glinting in the light. “I'll provide you with a new apartment in the upper ring. The tea shop is yours to do whatever you want. Complete creative freedom.”

A new apartment? And another tea shop? Was this man trying to offer Iroh a business deal? Tiani pursed her lips. Clearly this man’s offer was incredibly enticing to Iroh. The old man looked incredibly elated.

He seemed to ponder this proposition for a moment before asking,“I even get to name the shop?”

The rich man grinned, knowing he’d won Iroh over. “Of course!”

It looked like Pao was ready to get down on his knees and plead with Iroh but the shop owner seemed to realize he’d been beaten but made one last attempt at keeping the talented tea maker employed. “Uh, Senior _Executive_ Assistant Manager?” His posture drooped when Iroh made his choice and handed the teapot he held in his hands over to Pao. The shop owner sadly walked away in defeat.

Iroh and the rich man bowed respectfully, both happy with the outcome. Tiani couldn’t help but feel a mixture of happiness and dread. This just didn’t feel right to her. Sure, they were easily working their way up the social ladder, the tea shop making them quite popular to even the upper ring folk, but there was something wrong with living this way while they were in the midst of a war. And she didn’t like it. Even though she had shown little regard for the tyranny the Fire Nation held over the other Kingdoms in the past, she had still seen the suffering it had caused. And now, from an older and wiser perspective, a life of serving tea while people all over the world were dying just felt...wrong. Maybe she would discuss it with him later.

The older man caught her watching the exchange and smiled at both her and Zuko, who was glaring at Iroh, his expression anything other than what his uncle was feeling. “Did the two of you hear that? This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city.”

“That's right young man and young lady. Your life is about to change for the better,” added the rich man, flashing her a pearly white smile that looked like it had been honed to perfection.

Tiani felt bad that she didn’t feel the same way but still forced a smile onto her face and hoped it looked genuine. Zuko, on the other hand, showed no sign of caring that other people saw his lack of excitement and marched past Iroh and the other man with a dark scowl on his face. “I'll try to contain my joy,” he said coldly, setting his tray of tea down and storming outside, slamming the door shut on his way out.

She fully emerged from the back room and walked past Iroh, giving him an apologetic look as she went. “I’ll go talk to him.”

He was leaning up against the wall just outside the doorway, looking off down the street, lost in thought. He had been so troubled lately, and it pained her to see him try and act happy around her just to make her feel better.

If he heard her come outside, he didn’t show any sign of acknowledgement, even when she shut the door purposefully loud to get his attention. She allowed a couple minutes to pass by before she spoke. “Can you at least look at me, please?”

“Am I supposed to be happy about this?” He finally asked, though he refused to look over at her. “Happy that we’re just not doing anything?”

She rubbed her temples to ease the headache that was steadily getting worse with every moment. “I know it’s not what you want--I’m not pleased with it either, but you can at least try to be happy for your uncle. This means a lot to him.”

“Well I can’t,” the Prince said bitterly. “I can’t sit around my entire life doing nothing. I have a duty--a responsibility to uphold. I have a Destiny.”

“And what exactly is that, may I ask?”

His eyes met hers, and they were blazing with a fierce light that she didn’t like. “I need to capture the Avatar. Need to regain my honor.”

The urge to shake him roughly by the shoulders was nearly impossible to control, but she kept herself controlled. She should have known he would bring the Avatar up. Iroh had warned her in advance about his obsession. “The Avatar? Seriously? You want to talk about the Avatar now?”

“ _You_ wouldn’t understand. You’re not me. You wouldn’t understand what it’s like to lose your honor.”

His words cut into her like knives and she winced, wounded. Still, she stood her ground. “Yeah? And what about it would I not understand? Don’t you dare act like I don’t know what honor is and what it’s like to lose it. You’re being unreasonable, Zuko. Don’t you see I’m trying to help you?! I thought we had something, but if you won’t let me in, I don’t see the point in continuing it.”

Zuko scoffed, crossing his arms indifferently. “Fine by me.”

His words stung and she just about to turn around and storm back inside when something caught her eye. Dozens of paper leaflets fluttered down from the sky and littered the streets. She and Zuko both reached out and caught one, their eyes widening when they saw what was printed on the front.

"The Avatar,” Tiani breathed, eyes falling on the familiar bald headed boy with the arrow tattooed on his forehead. So young and childlike. It was hard to believe that this boy was the wielder of all four elements. “So he’s lost his bison?” She looked up from the paper and spotted the Prince climbing up onto the roof with the leaflet clenched in his fist. “Zuko!”

A bunch of very unladylike curses that her mother would recoil at were uttered as she grabbed onto the roof beam and swung herself up with hardly any effort.

Zuko was looking outward at the city, his back rigid and tense. “The Avatar is here in the city,” he told her over the sound of the wind. “I’m going to capture him. This is my only chance.”

A long moment of silence until she decided to break it.

“You know, there was once a time where I’d push you off this roof for acting the way you are right now.” Tiani didn’t know if he could hear him over the wind that whipped her stray hairs and her apron, but she kept talking. “I wouldn’t care if you died. In fact, I’d probably smile as every bone in your body broke upon impact.” she released a shuddering breath. “But I’m not that person anymore. I’m trying to change myself for the better. Why can’t you?”

He didn’t give her an answer.

_________________________

It was terrifying to think that not long ago she had no respect for human life or any life in general. She was just a ball of hatred and rage that killed and slaughtered whomever she was ordered to take care of. As long as it got her money, she didn’t care. And now...well now all she felt was confusion and a longing for something...more. Something more than this.

If she were being honest with herself, she didn’t know how she’d gotten so soft. And in such a short amount of time. There was a part of her that hated how she’d become. What had happened to the bloodthirsty assassin that took life without a second thought?

She’s dead, Tiani told herself sternly. She’s gone.

That was a lie. And she knew it. Though the Black Tigress slumbered, she was still very much alive. And still hungry. It was only a matter of time before she awoke to feed again.

“What do you think about the name, the Lotus Flower? It’s very pretty.”

Tiani shrugged, her head resting on her folded arms on the table. Iroh’s suggestions of what to name his new tea shop were nothing but distant mumblings to her. In all honesty, she could care less about what the tea shop was called, there were far more important things to worry about. Obviously Iroh hadn’t noticed how on edge she was. The old man continued to come up with new names and pack his suitcase, already prepared to move out of their little apartment that they’d been living in for nearly a month. If only she was as cheery as he was. Things would be so much brighter.

Zuko didn’t come back inside after he’d discovered that the Avatar was in Ba Sing Se, Tiani didn’t feel tempted to find out where he'd gone. After the way he’d acted towards her earlier, she wanted nothing to do with him. His words had hurt, and she hated that they had.

The Black Tigress would have fought back, she thought to herself. She would have ripped out his throat with her fangs.

“The Jasmine Dragon seems very fitting, doesn’t it? And it’s kind of an homage to me, the _Dragon_ of the West. Of course the only person that would know would be us.” Iroh chuckled and nodded in satisfaction. “Yes, I rather like that name. What about you, Tiani?”

“It’s nice,” she answered distractedly, hardly listening or paying attention, her mind elsewhere.

“I’m glad you agree! Now we just have to wait until my nephew gets back so we can hear his opinion.”

As if on cue, the screen door opened and Zuko entered, looking as sour as ever. He intentionally avoided eye contact with Tiani as she narrowed her eyes at him, still angry about earlier and walked up to his uncle.

“So, Tiani and I were thinking about names for my new tea shop. How about the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring to it,” Iroh said cheerfully.

Zuko got straight to the point, completely ignoring his uncle's question and instead handing him the leaflet he had acquired earlier. “The Avatar's here in Ba Sing Se. And he's lost his bison.”

“Thank you for informing us,” Tiani muttered under her breath sarcastically, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

Iroh frowned at the leaflet and tentatively took it from him. He scanned it once and then watched his nephew disapprovingly. “We have a chance for a new life here.” His gaze followed Zuko as the scarred prince looked out the window. “If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose _all_ the good things that are happening for us.”

Zuko whirled around angrily. “Good things that are happening for you. Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?”

“There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want for your life, and why,” Iroh advised his nephew wisely.

Zuko’s face only hardened and he turned to look out the window again. “I want my _destiny_.”

Tiani rolled her eyes, drawling, " _Here_ we go."

“What that means is up to you,” The old man told him, completely unfazed as his nephew stormed into their room and slammed the screen door behind him.

“Idiot,” Tiani mumbled, staring at the bedroom door. “A complete and total idiot.”

“The Tea Weevil!” Iroh came up with yet another possible name for his tea shop and then made a face. “No, that's stupid.”

She facepalmed.


	19. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. I wanted to apologize for the late update. I had a lot going on yesterday and unfortunately didn't have a lot of time to write. Also, in case any of you are confused, the Black Tigress in Tiani's mind isn't an actual thing. Consider it her alter ego that she struggles to keep under control. Sorry, if anyone was confused.  
> Anyways, enjoy this chapter!  
> FeFe

_______________________

Tiani didn’t realize she had fallen asleep until her eyes opened and it was dark outside. She lifted her head from the table and rubbed her eyes blearily. Clearly she had been asleep for quite some time since it was only late afternoon when Zuko had thrown his little tantrum.

She got to her feet and stretched her arms, scanning the small apartment which was now dark and empty. Iroh had cleared out everything and packed all their belongings into boxes to be moved into their new apartment. They hadn’t had much to begin with but the apartment looked so sad without Iroh’s orange flowers and strange decorations.

Still waking up, she staggered across the room and opened the door to their bedroom, her eyes falling on Iroh who was fast asleep and then growing wide when she spotted Zuko frozen still, his hands hovering over the windowsill like he was about to climb out. He was dressed in all black with his dual swords strapped to his back and in his hand he held the Blue Spirit mask. Slowly, he turned his head to look at her, realizing he’d been caught.

“What are you _doing_?!” She hissed, keeping her voice low so as to not wake Iroh.

Zuko moved away from the window and sighed. “I need to do this, Tiani. Don’t try and stop me.”

“I _am_ trying to stop you,” she retorted angrily. “If you do this, you run the risk of destroying everything we’ve created.”

“Everything _we’ve_ created, or everything _Uncle_ has created?” He shot back. When she didn’t have a response he shook his head at her. “That’s what I thought.”

He leapt out the window before she had a chance to react.

Tiani swore and paced back and forth, mumbling to herself. Damn him. Spirits, damn him. She stopped and frowned at Iroh, who was sleeping peacefully. She knew what she had to do.

__________________________

It was common knowledge that Iroh had been a legendary Fire Nation general once. Commanding thousands upon thousands of soldiers with extraordinary leadership. Tiani had only seen Iroh a couple of times when she was little, before he attacked Ba Sing Se and tried to bring down its walls. He had been respected and practically worshiped. And now, to her, he was just a kind, jolly, old man who loved tea more than himself. She’d never seen the warrior and stern leader he hid underneath his cheery exterior. So when she woke Iroh and told him of what his nephew had done, she never expected him to act the way he did.

The old man had sprung to his feet, and he was actually angry, his thick grey brows knitting together. He’d simply told her to grab her weapons and follow him.

“Where are we going?” She’d asked, securing the belt around her waist that held her blades.

Iroh’s voice had been grave, standing stiffly in the doorway. “To find my nephew.”

Now, as they ran through the dark streets that were devoid of all human activity, he charged ahead, determined to track down Zuko. If she was being honest, Tiani had now idea where Zuko might be and where to find him. Still, she followed close behind Iroh, who moved with utter surety. And if she was being really honest with herself, she liked the thrill of keeping a low profile in the dark of night with her blades gently bumping against her legs. It reminded her of different times that were not filled with tea and customers.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Tiani was still unsure if they were going in the right direction.

“I know my nephew better than I know myself,” Iroh panted. “He’s probably captured a Dai Li agent in order to find the Avatar. I want you to follow me from the rooftops and see if you can spot anything.”

Tiani nodded, and swung herself up onto a roof in one swift movement, leaping from building to building with ease as if she were made of air, her feet barely making a sound against the roof tiles. Just like old times, she thought wryly.

Deep within her mind, the Black Tigress stirred awoken by the familiar sensations that surged beneath her skin, brushing her tail up against her mind invitingly. She sat back on her haunches and tilted her head to the side, waiting.

Tiani relented, allowing herself to loosen her hold on the beast’s leash and letting her have some control over her mind. It was a dangerous move, giving an old part of herself permission to emerge. But she was needed in order to find Zuko. It was worth the risk.

Instantly, she found herself honing in on every small detail of every building, every street, and every person that was out having a midnight stroll. Her senses magnified tenfold, and if it were even possible, her steps became over more light and graceful. More lethal. More deadly.

No noticed the figure silhouetted against the moonlight, her long hair trailing behind her and her every stride moved with purpose and perfect calculation--knowing that if she made one wrong step, the roof tile would make a noise and her position would be given away.

In the darkness, she could hear the faint sound of blades being unsheathed. She crouched down low, peering down from the rooftop she was standing on. Sure enough, it was indeed Zuko. His dual swords were crossed threateningly over a Dai Li agent’s throat. She could tell from the way his head was tilted that he was whispering in the agent’s ear. The poor man was trembling from head to toe. What a pitiful excuse of a soldier.

When Zuko removed his swords from the Dai Li agent’s neck, he prodded the man in the back with the tip of one, firmly ordering him to walk forward, likely forcing him to take him to where the bison was being kept. Excellent.

Tiani didn’t take her eyes off of him as she dropped down from the roof and landed in a crouch, not even disturbing the leaves that had drifted down into the street from trees that were planted nearby.

Iroh peeked around the corner, trying his best to be discreet and failing miserably when he leaned too far to see what was happening and almost fell over. Luckily, he grabbed onto the wall and stopped himself from giving away his position.

Tiani pinched the bridge of her nose and stayed hidden in the shadows, coming up from behind him with hardly any sound as he was still peeking. “Your nephew is a fool.”

The old man nearly leapt out of his skin, spinning around and then putting a hand over his heart with a hearty chuckle. “Tiani, dear, you can’t sneak up on an old man like that!”

“Too bad, I just did,” She said smartly. “ Now keep your voice down. We need to follow him and prevent him from doing something stupid--we can’t do anything if we’re caught.”

“But he’s so _fast_ ,” Iroh complained. “How on earth can we catch up with him?”

Tiani grinned at him deviously, the Black Tigress shining through. “Leave that up to me.”

________________________

Lake Laogai was a rather sad and murky looking place to begin with. Which was sad since morning had already come and the day was quite the opposite, whereas the water was a pitiful grey color that lazily lapped against the short with little enthusiasm, and the sea foam smelled sour and spoiled. Tiani had no idea there was an even worse place just beneath the surface of the water.

The hidden headquarters were dark and dingy, save for an eerie green glow cast by multiple lanterns hanging from doorways and along the many passageways. It smelled of mildew and rot and the floor was wet from water dripping from the ceiling.

Zuko had sloppily knocked the Dai Lee agent unconscious after he’d been led to the headquarters, and then dragged him to an empty chamber before locking the door hastily. Tiani witnessed all of it from the shadows with scorn. He was clearly an amateur at this. If she’d been the one in his shoes and been under the guise of the Black Tigress, she would have done things a lot differently. For one, she probably would have killed the Dai Li agent instead of knocking him out.

Tiani shook her head, clearing this thoughts from her mind, and followed him with Iroh close behind. She bit her lip as she watched her footing; the high ceiling, puddles and stone floor made it difficult to keep her footsteps quiet.

The banished prince opened one of the large stone chamber doors and stepped inside, quietly shutting it behind him to not rouse suspicion. Tiani paused when she approached the entrance, her hand hovering over the rock. But Iroh gently pushed her aside and opened it for her.

The huge bison was chained to the ground, all six legs secured by heavy iron. It tugged at them, bellowing at Zuko who stood before it with his swords drawn, just out of its reach.

Tiani drew her blades and assumed a defensive stance, prepared to fight him if necessary. The noise drew Zuko’s attention, as did the grating of the door as it opened and closed. He whirled around, ready to attack and then lowered his weapons when he saw them.

“Tiani? Uncle?”

She didn’t break her stance and kept her blades aimed at him, her voice authoritative. “Step away from the Bison.”

Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully, pretending to be puzzled. “So, the Blue Spirit. I wonder who could be behind that mask?”

Zuko sighed, pulling it off so they could see the pained look in his golden eyes. “What are you doing here?” Realization dawned on him and the betrayed look he threw her made her look away guiltily. “And _how_ did you get here?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing.” There was a sharp sting in his words as the old man took several steps towards his nephew. “What do you plan to do now that you have found the Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of _tea_ for him?”

Zuko looked unsure, obviously not thinking this part through. “First I have to get it out of here.”

“AND THEN WHAT?!” Tiani was startled by the usually calm and serene old man’s outburst, nearly dropping her weapons in surprise. “You never think these things through! This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole! You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!”

They’d been to the North Pole? Zuko had captured the Avatar? Tiani scowled. No one had told her this. Why did this have to be new news for her? Why hadn’t anyone filled her in? There was clearly a lot she didn’t yet know. Lovely.

“I would have figured something out!” Zuko argued insistently, his voice tired and worn like the frayed ends of a rope.

“No! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death!” Iroh persisted rawly, words straining with emotion and a tinge of fear. Tiani knew that he thought of Zuko as his own son, and treated him as such. Losing him would likely be just as painful as when he’d lost his only child at the siege of Ba Sing Se many years ago. She’d never known Lu Ten, but from what she’d heard, he’d been a lovely person.

Zuko made a sound of frustration, gritting his teeth and turning towards the bison. “ I know my own destiny, uncle.”

“Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?” His uncle countered, jabbing his nephew right where it hurt the most.

“Your destiny is something you forge yourself,” Tiani spoke up, lowering her blades and holding them at her sides limply. “It cannot be created by anyone else except you. What you choose to be your destiny is up to you. And you alone.” Why was she telling him this when she herself was uncertain of what her own destiny was?

The prince was becoming increasingly conflicted and agitated. His shoulders began to shake and he stubbornly turned his back towards them, trying to shut them out. “Stop it, the both of you. I have to do this.”

“What is making you do this? You? Or your father?” Her words hit its mark and he snarled murderously at her, swords raised again.

“Don’t speak of me as if you know who I am!”

“I'm _begging_ you Prince Zuko!” Iroh pleaded. “It's time for you to look inward, and begin asking yourself the big questions: Who are you? And what do you want?

In a fit of rage and torment, the banished prince threw his swords to the ground along with his mask and let out a cry of anguish that reverberated throughout the huge stone chamber.

Tiani calmly sheathed her blades and moved towards him, putting a hand on his shaking shoulder. “Turn around,” she told him. He did as he was told but kept his gaze focused anywhere but her. Her hands took one of his and she slowly removed the black glove, tossing it away and bringing his hand to her cheek. “What do you feel?” She asked him, her voice quivering.

His head lifted as his fingers traced her scars and his golden eyes bore deep into her amber ones, searching desperately. So much emotion and pain burned within them, a deep raw agony that stabbed through his very soul and mind. “You...just _you_.” His voice cracked.

She inhaled sharply when she felt his trembling fingers enclose over her hand and bring it up to his face. The scarred side. “And what about you? What do you feel?” His words were barely above a whisper.

Tears welled inside her eyes as her fingers danced over the smooth scar tissue and ran over his brow and closed eye. “Skin. I feel skin,” she breathed.

He kissed her.

Tiani’s eyes widened in shock for a moment but then she felt herself melt into him, relaxing and kissing him back, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck and pull him closer. And for a perfectly blissful moment in her life, there was no Black Tigress, there were no scars, no war, no pain. Only him. Him and only him.

Zuko was so warm yet so cold at the same time. There was a desperation in the kiss he gave her, both hands--one gloved and the other one bare--rising to cup the sides of her face. She answered with her fingers tangling in his hair. Tears spilled down her cheeks from her closed eyes and she felt him crumble, breaking the kiss and sliding down to his knees. He covered his face with his hands, body racking with sobs.

She joined him there on the cold stone floor, not caring that a huge bison and an old man were watching them inquisitively. She gently removed his hands from his face so she could see the tears fall and the sight of his vulnerability and agony nearly shattered her heart.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I’m just _so sorry_.”

Tiani swiftly silenced him by kissing him softly and pressing her forehead against his. “Let’s heal. The both of us.”

And for a beautiful moment in her life, she was at peace with herself.


	20. Chapter 19

Zuko looked absolutely exhausted as they arrived back at their apartment. He staggered across the threshold, dragging his scabbard along the floor much to Tiani’s annoyance. Still, despite his treatment of his weapons, he was off. Something was wrong. She started to move towards him worriedly.

Iroh seemed to not notice his nephew’s completely downtrodden state of being, closing the door and happily expressing how pleased he was about Zuko’s decision to leave behind the identity of the Blue Spirit. “You did the right thing, letting the Avatar's bison go free.”

“Iroh, I think something is wrong--” Tiani started to say but was interrupted by Zuko.

“I don't feel right,” he said weakly before letting out a low groan and collapsing, knocking over a vase on a table in the process.

Tiani cried out in alarm and ran to him, as did Iroh. She kneeled beside him and put his head in her lap, lightly patting him on both cheeks to see if he would come to. A sheen of sweat shone on his brow and she brushed his hair out of his face, frowning with worry when she felt how warm he was. “Iroh, he’s burning up.” Panic began to well from within her and she tried patting the sides of his face again. “Come on, Zuko, wake up.”

The older firebender pursed his lips at the state of his nephew and left the room, returning shortly to roll out a futon for him. Together, they pulled him onto it and carefully removed his shirt and covered him with a blanket. Iroh fetched a bucket and bowl of water and a ladle, along with a rag to dab his forehead with. Tiani refused to leave his side, viciously baring her teeth at Iroh when he suggested that she get some rest, since she’d hardly gotten any sleep last night.

“No!” She refused him sharply. “I’m not leaving him.” Her expression softened upon seeing the weary lines on Iroh’s face. “You should get some rest first. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him.”

Iroh reluctantly complied and left to go sleep in the other room, leaving her alone with Zuko. She took the wet rag and gently dabbed his sweaty forehead with it, sighing. “You have to be the most annoying boy I’ve ever met.” She laughed to herself. “Actually, I think you’re the only boy I’ve met. My parents wouldn’t let me talk to boys. They thought it was unladylike.” The blanket that covered him slid down as he moved slightly and she pulled it back up. “I think the only successful thing my parents taught me was discipline. And the only good thing they did for me was give me dance lessons. And I loved them. Bending, martial arts, reading, and dancing. Those were the only times where I felt like I could be me. Like, truly me.” She paused for a moment, realizing she’d never told anyone that fact about herself before, not even Master Shyshou. “Look at me, telling all my secrets to you when you can’t even hear me.” She scoffed at herself.

There was a storm raging within her mind. A violent battle between three parts of herself: the Black Tigress, Tiani Huang, and Fan. Who was she? How long was she going to have to keep living like this?

Zuko stirred, face contorting, and then stilled, remaining unconscious. Her heart tightened at the sight of him. She’d kissed him in that chamber, or rather he’d kissed her first. And she’d kissed him back. Spirits, she kissed him back and the feeling was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. A part of her wanted more, she wanted to kiss him and tangle her hands in his hair--

 _Relationships are for weaklings,_ the Black Tigress spat hatefully, baring her fangs. _And you are not weak. You were born to take lives. You were born for the soul purpose of death. That is why you created me, remember?_

 _What if I don’t want that life anymore?_ She asked fretfully. _What if I want to leave that part of myself behind? Maybe I don’t need your help anymore_.

 _Darling girl,_ the beast in her head sneered, _Do you really think you can just get rid of me just like that? A malicious laugh and the feeling of iron claws dragging across her mental walls. I am you, just like you’re me. You need my guidance._

Tiani snarled, mustering up her inner strength and blocking out that cold haunting voice. _We shall see._

__________________

For the next two hours she talked to him, retelling tales from her travels and recounting what she’d seen and done. Obviously, she only told him the good things she’d experienced--the pretty views, idiotic quarrels, strange people.

After finishing a story about how a man cut off another man’s beard in a fit of anger, she found herself growing emotional, her eyes burning and her throat becoming tight. Spirits, why did she feel this way towards him. Sure they’d kissed, but it didn’t mean anything, right? Tiani found herself doubtful and raked her fingers through her unbound hair which spilled over her shoulders and down her chest.

“Zuko what are you doing to me?” she whispered aloud, brushing away a tear that began to slide down her face. “I’ve never felt this way before and I’m scared.”

All her life, her parents had told her that she was going to be married at the age of sixteen to a wealthy man with a great reputation, a man whom you would be proud to call your son in law. After all, it was what her mother had done with her father. Tiani remembered a time when she’d asked her mother if she loved her father. Her mother, Su Yin, had simply smiled and told her that the relationship formed between her and her father was a necessary arrangement between two families and that she was lucky to be paired with someone so reputable. After that, her mother told her to never speak of it again and that was that.

Her mother had been a proud woman. Calm and reserved most of the time, but harsh and commanding when need be. Both she and her father seemed to get along fairly well, mainly because her mother usually kept quiet unless she was directly spoken to (a lesson taught to her at a very young age) and her father took charge in taking control of the conversations.

Tiani didn’t harbor the same hatred for her mother as she did her Father, Fu. But the memory of her mother gliding up the stairs and shutting the door to her room whenever her father went to beat her, still stayed in her mind. Not once had her mother ever stood up or spoken against her father. Maybe it was because she, too, was also scared of what he was capable of.

Still, both of her parents turned her parents turned their noses up at the thought of falling in love, strongly believing in forging life long alliances with other upper class families in order to strengthen status and hierarchy.

Tiani had never met the boy she’d been betrothed to since the day she was born. According to her parents, he was incredibly rich, coming from an esteemed background, and had incredible potential. She only knew his name: Kaito Bushida. Not once had either of them met each other. He was probably around her age by now. She shivered. If she still lived with her parents, she’d likely be forced into a loveless marriage by now. Made to bear children, sit and look pretty like a good wife does, as her mother would tell her as she tapped her on the nose. Even if Kaito turned out to be a good person, a life of living like a doll with no real purpose made her want to throw up. Besides, her entire family probably thought she was dead. It had been four long years since she’d seen them, and she wanted to keep it that way.

“When this is all over,” her voice was hoarse and she swallowed, “and we’ve both found our place in this world, I want to start dancing again. And maybe even teach children. Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to become a dance teacher. I know that dance is kind of a lost art in the Fire Nation, but I honestly have a small ounce of respect for my mother for wanting to keep it alive. It gave me a form of expression besides bending and martial arts. I’d like to learn about your hobbies one day. Secret talents, foods you adore and detest, can you play an instrument?” Now that she thought about it, Zuko had never told her any of these facts about himself, even when they’d been close during their childhood. He mainly kept to himself and never revealed any personal information, except that his sister was cruel to him and his dad was a monster.

“Fire noodles.”

Tiani jolted, not noticing that he was awake until he spoke. “What?”

“Fire noodles,” he rasped with a dry smile. “That is my favorite food. A large bowl of them. When I was little, Azula and I used to compete to see who could eat the most. She always won.”

She laughed, dabbing the wet rag against his sweaty forehead. “Well, maybe when this is all over, you and I can give it a go. I do want that money you won from me back.”

Zuko made a small sound of protest. “Hey! I won that fair and square. You can’t take it back.”

“We’ll just see about that when we have a bowl of fire noodles in front of us.” She gave him a teasing smirk. “Now tell me the foods you hate, secret talents--can you play an instrument?”

He thought for a moment. “Boiled clams.” He made a disgusted face. “I hate boiled clams. We only ate them because my father loved them.”

“Well that’s good, because I don’t really like them either,” she agreed, also making a face. “Tell me more about yourself.”

Zuko rolled his eyes playfully at her but still answered her questions. “I found out when I was younger that I have a knack for calligraphy and knife throwing, and…” He blushed, “I can play the tsungi horn.”

“Really?!” She burst into a fit of giggles while Zuko turned red and covered his face with the blanket. “I had no idea. You are full of surprises.”

It looked like he was about to say something else but a pained looked washed over his face and he groaned, shivering heavily and curling up under his blanket.

“You're burning up. You have an _intense_ fever.” Iroh emerged from the bedroom and kneeled beside him, next to Tiani. He took the rag from her and dabbed his forehead again. “This will help cool you down.”

“So thirsty,” Zuko murmured weakly. His uncle ladled some water from another bucket by his head and supported his shoulders as he lifted his head to drink, gently pouring it down his throat. Zuko quickly snatched the ladle from him and downed the rest of it.

“Don’t drink too fast,” Tiani warned him. “You might make yourself sick.”

Zuko didn’t seem to care, or he just wasn’t listening. He tossed the ladle aside and reached for the bucket of water, sloshing it all down his chest as he chugged it all and then hurled it across the room. His whole body shuddered and he layed back down while coughing feebly. Tiani pulled the blanket back over him and shoved her hair out of her face, not understanding what was happening to him and how.

Not long after he’d settled down, he relaxed, falling back into a restless sleep. Tiani rubbed her eyes wearily. “Iroh, what’s happening to him?”

“He’s undergoing a mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation,” He told her seriously. “It will be an extremely grueling and painful process. I have heard stories of things like this happening to people. Some never recover.”

Tiani’s brows furrowed with worry. “But he’ll get better, right?”

Iroh’s voice was grave. “Let’s hope so.”


	21. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, another late chapter yeah yeah I know. I am so sorry--I've been kind of busy with other things going on my life right now but I've been trying to write as much as I can. Don't worry, things will start to speed up again in the next few chapters. I have some crazy things planned and I can't help but rub my hands together like a mastermind. Mwahahaha  
> Also, yes I'm aware that Leaves From the Vine is kind of cliche but I promise it's going to be important later on in the story!  
> -FeFe

______________________

For the rest of the day, she and Iroh took turns watching over Zuko while he slept. Tiani hardly got any sleep, only drifting off for a couple hours at a time. Her worry and concern for Zuko’s wellbeing overcame her exhaustion and she fought the urge to sleep by telling him more stories and folktales, and even some recounting some old memories they’d shared together.

“Do you remember that one time you raised that one turtle duckling?” She chuckled fondly at the memory. “It had hurt its leg and you felt so bad for it that you scooped it up and raised it on your own--obviously with some of my help as well. And you nursed it back to health while hiding it in your room. It’s a miracle Azula never caught you and told your parents.” Her fingers played his dark hair, noticing how long it had gotten since she’d first seen him. “Zuko, I need you to get better. Please, for me.” Never, in her whole life had she felt this way before.

There was a boy who accompanied her for a short amount of time while she’d been the Black Tigress. His name had been Ren. He’d been a year older than her and for some reason decided to stick with her. Ren had been bold, humorous, yet cunning and manipulative. It was where she’d acquired her dry and sarcastic sense of humor that suited her so well.

He’d been a gambler, a thief, and a scammer--or rather a blackmailer, and a great flirt. Amazingly, he was able to figure out a person’s whole life story just by observing the clothing they wore and the way they walked. It came in handy on multiple occasions.

At first, Tiani only saw him as a pesky nuisance that never stopped talking. But over the course of six months, she found herself slowly warming up to him and even adopting his sense of humor and becoming a keen observer like him. Even now, it was because of Ren that she became a master assassin, not just with a weapon, but within the mind as well.

Ren had been the only person that she deemed worthy enough to even call a friend. Possibly something even more. Like with Zuko, she found her heart beginning to soften and open up. But that didn’t last long.

Late one night, while sleeping, they were attacked by a group of men that were enemies of Ren. Fortunately, their attack was sloppy and uncoordinated, which caused her to wake up and fend them off. But she wasn’t fast enough.

One of the men had already gotten to him, stabbing him before she had a chance to defend him. And there, as rain fell down upon them like droplets of ice, she held him in her arms and felt him die. She watched the life leave his eyes and his body grow limp, the hand that touched her maskless face fall to the ground in the mud.

Ren had been the only person she’d felt comfortable enough around to show her face to. After he died, she buried him under a cherry blossom tree, and never removed her mask for anyone for the next two years. Not until she reunited with Zuko again.

Tiani wiped away the tears that threatened to fall and caressed Zuko’s cheek. Spirits, if she lost him, it would be like losing Ren all over again.

“Listen to me, you big annoying sea urchin,” she told him sternly, “you get better soon, or else I’m going to pummel you into the dirt with my bare hands.” her voice broke during the last sentence and she dragged a hand down her face, trying her best to put up a strong front like she had for many years of her life. Why, at this point in her life, was she allowing her walls to be broken down?

 _It is because you are weak, you foolish girl_ , the Black Tigress hissed in her ear maliciously.

Tiani pushed the voice out of her mind and fought the urge to scream in frustration. She let out a long sigh and tried to calm herself, focusing her attention on Zuko’s face that was contorted into a grimace. He kept tossing and turning and moaning in his sleep as if he was having a nightmare.

Nightmares had haunted her whole life. There were times where she’d wake up screaming, believing her father was standing over her with a cruel whip in his hand or a belt, ready to beat her until she blacked out from the pain. Only one person always came to her aid. Her name had been Chika. And she was always so kind to her, playing with her hair and singing to her to sleep. She had been quite old when Tiani had left. It was likely that she was dead by now.

Tiani didn’t know very many songs, but she’d heard Iroh singing to himself on multiple occasions while brewing tea back at the shop. He’d sung the same song so many times, it was easy to memorize the lyrics.

“I guess I can try. You probably can’t even hear me. Hopefully you can’t hear me,” she muttered. Anxiously, she bit her lip, and looked around the room to make sure no one was watching and then started to sing softly, stroking his hair as she did.

_Leaves from the vine_

_Falling so slow_

_Like fragile tiny shells_

_Drifting in the foam_

_Little soldier boy_

_Come marching home_

_Brave soldier boy_

_Comes marching home_

“Where did you hear that song?”

Tiani nearly snapped her neck from looking over at Iroh who stood in the doorway with wide eyes. She coughed, feeling her cheeks and ears burn. “Uh, from you. You sing it to yourself a lot and I happened to memorize the lyrics. I’m sorry if I made your ears bleed.”

Iroh took a seat next to her and smiled warmly. “You have a lovely voice. It’s a shame you don’t sing more, I’m sure Zuko would greatly appreciate it.”

If it were even possible, she felt herself grow even warmer. Spirits, this was embarrassing. “My nursemaid used to sing to me whenever I wasn’t feeling good or had a nightmare. I thought it might help him.”

“Well, it seemed to work for the time being,” Iroh said, gesturing at Zuko who was now sleeping more soundly. “I used to sing that song to my son, Lu Ten, when he was a baby. That song holds a very special place in my heart.”

Tiani had never gotten to know Iroh’s son, but seeing how respectful a man the old general was, his son was probably the same.

“Zuko is much different than my son was,” Iroh told her. “But I see him as my own nonetheless.” He put a hand on her knee. “And I’ve always wondered what having a daughter would be like. Now I know.”

She gaped at him, blinking rapidly. “You think of me as a daughter?”

“You were different from the other children--besides Zuko of course. Before I left for Ba Sing Se, I would see you in the courtyard and in the gardens. You always had your nose stuck in a book of some sort, and even though it looked like you weren’t paying attention to what the other girls were doing, I knew you were watching them.” He chuckled. “You were a keen observer. And you had the eyes of a person who saw everything. At such a young age, you had the makings of a fine warrior.”

Whenever Zuko joined in with the games, Azula and Mai always forced her to be the point master and sit on the sidelines to keep track of scores. And she never messed up. Not once.

Later on, when she was older, her parents strictly ordered her to not engage in play fighting, in fear that she might tear her silk clothes or mess up her hair. During this time, Mai was already becoming skilled with throwing knives, Ty Lee was practicing chi blocking, and Azula could firebend almost as well as an ordinary bender.

It was quite common for the three to duel each other while she could only watch with rapture. For hours, she would observe them closely while they did this and catch every mistake, every misstep, every stumble, and miscalculation. And then when she went to train with Master Shyshou in private, she applied her observations to her own abilities. It was a valuable lesson she taught herself.

She felt a hand brush her arm and looked to see Zuko opening his eyes and grimacing. “Tiani, is that you?”

“Of course it’s me. Do you think Iroh would have skin as soft as mine?” She joked, taking his hand and squeezing it. “How do you feel?”

“Awful,” he groaned. “I feel worse than that one time Azula created an explosion that threw me against a wall and broke two of my ribs.”

Iroh returned from where he was brewing tea and poured three cups of tea, supporting Zuko’s head as he raised the cup to his lips and helped him drink. “You should know this is not a natural sickness. But that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea.”

Zuko looked disoriented and so incredibly weak that it pained her to even look at him. “What...what’s happening?”

“Your critical decision, what you did beneath that lake...it was in such conflict with your image of yourself, that you are now at war within your own mind and body.” He helped Zuko take another sip of the tea.

Tiani cringed. What Iroh was saying did not sound reassuring at all.

“What’s that mean?” Spirits, he sounded so weak as he collapsed in a fit of coughing.

“You're going through a metamorphosis, my nephew,” Iroh said to him. “It will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful Prince you were always meant to be.”

Why did that only make things sound worse? Tiani looked away, her hair falling like a curtain in front of her face to hide the way she closed her eyes from both sheer exhaustion and fear. And suddenly she had a new purpose that took over her mind other than revenge. Other than hatred and rage. And it felt right.

Her fists were clenched so tightly she could feel her nails sink deep into her skin, likely drawing blood. But she didn’t care. _Zuko, I swear on my life I will do whatever it takes to protect you,_ she silently swore to him. There was no way in the spirit world or in hell that she was going to have another person close to her die again. And she would do anything to prevent it. _No matter the cost._


	22. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I am so incredibly sorry my uploading schedule isn't super consistent and that this chapter is quite short. I've come down with a bad case of writer's block but I am going to try and write more as soon as possible. Yes, I am aware this this chapter is not one of my best works, but I promise that things are going to start getting crazy in the next couple of chapters, don't you worry! In the meantime, don't be afraid to leave or comment or anything if you have any questions, concerns, or compliments!  
> -FeFe

_____________________

Days passed and Zuko didn’t show very many signs of recovery. For the most part, he remained unconscious, mumbling and talking in his sleep. Several times he woke up screaming and shaking like a leaf. Those moments had frightened Tiani the most. She’d been by his side the whole time, holding him as he latched onto her and then slowly relaxed enough to the point where he could fall back asleep.

While he slept, Tiani helped Iroh pack their belongings and move into their new apartment in the Upper Ring of the city. It was a nice place, with a far better interior. There were no cracks in the walls, no leaks, no strange smells--more open and luxurious just like the Inner Ring itself. Tiani found herself detesting it. The whole place reminded her all too much of her home back in the Fire Nation.

There was also the matter of the new tea shop. Iroh had excitedly announced to her that he had settled on naming the place the Jasmine Dragon. Tiani hadn’t exactly been thrilled, but congratulated him nonetheless, though her mind drifted elsewhere.

If there was one word to describe the tea shop, it would be magnificent. On the outside it stood proudly in the Inner Ring with several steps that led up to its door. There, the customers were greeted by two lady employees who happily welcomed them inside. Mighty pillars helped hold the roof up from within the shop and there were twice as many tables as there had been in the old shop with more comfortable seating. And to top it all off, a large rug with a dragon on it was rolled out down the middle of the shop. Tiani had to hand it to the old man, it truly was a magnificent place to serve tea.

Moving into the new apartment was a different matter, however. The rich man who’d offered Iroh the new tea shop, Quon, had kindly hired a carriage to take them to it after he’d heard about Zuko’s physical state. At first, Tiani had been thankful for the ride, but grew incredibly annoyed as the ride to the Inner Ring progressed. For some reason, Iroh had chosen to sit on the seat across from her, claiming that his head hurt and that he needed the space to lay down and rest. That left her to be seated next to Zuko.

Before they left, Iroh had given Zuko a sedative that would keep him calm and less likely to wake up during the ride. However, what he didn’t know was that it had a pesky side effect that caused him to become loopy and disoriented. So throughout the entirety of the ride, Tiani was forced to endure his babbling nonsense that made her want to toss him out the window in the carriage.

A couple days after they had settled into their new apartment, Zuko began to show some signs of improvement. His fever broke, and he appeared more peaceful while sleeping, no longer mumbling and tossing and turning in his sleep for hours on end. This finally allowed Tiani and Iroh to get some actual sleep for once, thank the spirits.

Tiani made a disgusted face as she forced down a mouthful of jook and then shoved the bowl away from her stubbornly. “ _Bleh_! This stuff is foul. Are you trying to kill me?”

“Jook is a meal full of nutrition that will help bring back your strength, along with Zuko’s.” Iroh didn’t appear offended by her calling his cooking “foul” and seemed more amused than anything. “I assure you that it will not cause you bodily harm. At least I hope not.”

“I don’t need to bring back my strength,” she argued, crossing her arms and pouting. “I feel perfectly fine.”

“You’ve hardly gotten any sleep these past few days,” Iroh said to her while stirring the thick white paste that tasted mushy and slimy. “Last night was the only night you’ve slept soundly. This will help you regain your strength and energy.”

Just then, Zuko stepped into the room while rubbing his eyes, having obviously just woken up. He appeared to be much better. His eyes weren’t red rimmed with dark circles, and his skin wasn’t pasty and grey from fever.

“What’s that smell?”

Tiani found herself instantly brightening. Seeing him looking healthy and not sickly was a wonderful and relieving sight to see. “Zuko! You’re looking much better.”

“It’s jook,” his uncle told him, frowning. “I’m sure you wouldn’t like it. Tiani doesn’t. She made that quite clear.” He threw her a teasing sideways glance.

She wrinkled her nose. “It tastes terrible. I’m just being brutally honest.”

Zuko leaned over the pot and breathed inhaled deeply. “Actually, it smells delicious.” He picked up a bowl from the counter and held it out for his uncle, smiling pleasantly. “I’d love a bowl, uncle.”

Tiani’s jaw dropped and she and Iroh both exchanged suspicious looks, the old man ladling the slop into his bowl. “Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow.”

“Yeah, did you hit your head or something while waking up or are you still sick?” She asked him with a puzzled look on her face. Where was the grumpy boy she’d grown used to being around?

“It’s a new day!” he said optimistically, grinning at the both of them as he sat down at the table and gazed out the window. “We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of your new tea shop. And I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the world. Things are looking up, Uncle.”

Tiani spat out the jook she’d been forcing down all over the table. “ _Girlfriend_?!” When Iroh had his back turned she grabbed Zuko by the collar of his tunic and yanked him towards her. “Can I talk to you _alone_?” She asked him through gritted teeth. “ _Please_?”

Zuko looked confused but nodded, stumbling after her when she grabbed his arm tightly and pulled him into his room and shut the door behind them.

She whirled around to face him with her hands on her hips and her eyes thin slits. “Since when am I your girlfriend? And why are you acting so funny?”

He gave her a playful smirk and shrugged. “Since today I suppose?” The big-eyed expression he gave her made her roll her eyes at him. “Why? Do you not want to be my girlfriend?”

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that this is so unlike you. It feels strange. I don’t know if I can get used to it. And it’s just so fast--”

Her words were cut off as Zuko leaned in and kissed her softly, gently cupping the side of her face. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of him that engulfed her and made everything just tingle with delight. It was moments like these where she felt completely and utterly at ease with herself and the world. Spirits, he knew what he was doing to her. He knew exactly what he was building inside of her. A snarl escaped her lips as she deepened the kiss and tangled her hands in his hair, relishing the surprised but pleased groan he let out.

He frowned at her as they broke apart, both breathing heavily. His frown turned into a coy smile when he saw her wide eyes. “Are you rethinking your opinion now, by any chance?”

Tiani took a moment to catch her breath before pouncing on him and shoving him against the wall, pausing in between kisses to growl out words. “Just shut up and kiss me.”

_______________________

“Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own tea shop,” Iroh said proudly as the three of them stood at the front of the shop and watched customers come and go. “Follow your passion Zuko and Tiani, and life will reward you.”

“I am happy for you,” Tiani told him, bowing her head. And she meant it, she really did. If only she had the heart to tell him that she felt conflicted about this place being where she would work for the rest of her days. The cynical attitude Zuko had towards the whole thing had disappeared since he’d gotten the fever and had been replaced by a newer, more cheerful version of himself that Tiani still found slightly disconcerting.

He smiled happily at his Iroh. “Congratulations Uncle.”

There was an emotional gleam in the old man’s eyes and he nodded appreciatively to them both. “I'm very thankful.”

“You deserve it. The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city,” Zuko said confidently, a complete opposite from his usual pessimism and negativity.

Tiani felt Iroh put a hand on her arm. “No, I'm thankful because you two decided to share this special day with me. It means more than you know.”

“Oh, yeah no problem--” she started awkwardly, having no idea how to respond to him. That was until Zuko wrapped them all in a large hug. “Ugh! You’re squishing me. I’m a little claustrophobic, have I ever mentioned that?”

He released them both with a large grin on his face while she rubbed her arm. “Now let’s make some tea!”

“Yes! Let’s make some tea!” Iroh agreed enthusiastically, the two of them racing behind the counter to begin working.

They both looked so happy and carefree. Everything felt so perfect and wonderful. They now lived in the richest part of the city, they owned one of, if not the most luxurious tea shops within Ba Sing Se, and Zuko was hers. What more could she possibly want? This was a life that she didn’t need to run from, a life that didn’t involve her killing and hunting down others for a living. Everything she could have possibly dreamed of was right here.

So why was the only emotion she was feeling dread?


	23. Chapter 22

__________________

It sounded horrible, but Tiani could not have been more happy when the day was over and they were getting ready to close up shop. Throughout the whole day, she had felt uneasy and just out of sorts. Even though she knew how special this opening was for the two of them, the feeling of uncertainty and anxiousness still lingered in the back of her mind. Or was that just the Black Tigress toying with her to make her paranoid. Either way, living in Ba Sing Se didn’t sit right with her. She wasn’t even going to mention how strange Zuko was acting. Sure, him smothering her with attention and kisses was nice and all, but there was a part of her that wanted the grumpy side of him back, save for the sometimes rude comments and constant glowering. It was so unlike him to be so kind and considerate. To her, it felt like she was talking to a completely different person almost.

Earlier she had acted on without thinking and got carried away in a tumultuous sea of her own emotions and needs. Just the sheer feeling of kissing him had caused a tidal wave of brand new feelings and she had given into her own natural instincts. Now that she thought about it, she wished she hadn’t. It was painful, even when thinking about it, but maybe she wasn’t quite ready to commit herself to a relationship. Not just yet.

Her fingers absently ran down the scars on her face while she clutched a broom in her other hand. Zuko had helped her gain back her confidence to the point where she no longer felt the urge to grab the mask that lay at the bottom of her bag anymore. She’d finally accepted the fact that people were naturally going to stare at her face and whisper. But that didn’t mean she was ugly or grotesque. It was just...her.

Even though he had helped her repair some of the damage to her mind and soul, there was still the matter of the Black Tigress, who was still very much alive and always listening. Watching and waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Tiani’s fingers tightened around the broom handle until her knuckles turned white, watching Zuko as he swept the floors with a small smile on his face. How could he be so happy? What happened to him wanting to capture the Avatar and “regain his honor”? Or had that motivation just deteriorated during his fever or “transformation” as Iroh had called it. Ever since they had been little, Zuko had always stuck to his goals, doing whatever it took to achieve them. And seeing him now, without a care in the world, was almost disturbing to see.

Now that she thought about it, it was partly her fault he no longer cared about the Avatar anymore. She had been angry at him when he had wanted to find the airbender, furious even to the point where she wanted to throttle him. But now…

“Ugh what am I thinking,” she muttered to herself, sweeping the floor a little too forcefully for it to look normal. “I shouldn’t be thinking so negatively.”

A man entered the shop with a scroll in his hands. He bowed before Iroh, who was in the middle of clearing tables, and handed the scroll to him. “A message from the royal palace.” He left as quickly as he came.

Tiani narrowed her eyes at the scroll, sifting through multiple different situations in her mind. What would someone from the royal palace want from three tea makers? Was it possible that their identities had been revealed and they had to stand before the king and admit it? She thought of her blades left in their sheaths back at the apartment, safely stowed beneath her cot. It had been a while since she’d last used them. If they had to escape the city, they could come in handy. However, if they had already been discovered as firebenders, then there was no use in wielding them when she had fire at her disposal.

Iroh looked like he was on the verge of falling over from shock. His eyes bulged in astonishment as he read what was on the scroll. “I...I can’t believe it.” Zuko stopped sweeping and walked over to him, as did Tiani. “What is it, uncle?”

The old man grinned from ear to ear, looking like a kid who had just been offered and extra large portion of *dragon’s beard candy. “Great news! We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!”

Tiani felt a small smile spread across her face and she continued sweeping, a little more gently this time. The pure joy on the old man’s face was enough to raise anyone’s spirits. Maybe she was just being a stick in the mud. This was a great honor for all of them, the least she could do was be happy for Iroh and Zuko. It wasn’t the life she wanted, but it was a good steady life nonetheless. She had to be happy for them. So she carried on sweeping the floors.

____________________

“Are you sure you don’t want to come along?” Iroh asked her while she helped organize and place his tea set in the ornately decorated box. “Don’t you also want to bask in the glory?”

Tiani shook her head, setting the white lid on top of the box with care. “These types of things aren’t really my style. Now, if the Earth King invited me to spar with him, or have an arm wrestle, then I would be more inclined to take part.” She gave the two of them a halfhearted smile. “Besides, I need to get groceries for both the shop and ourselves. You two can go on without me, I don’t mind.”

“You _really_ don’t mind?” Zuko sounded unconvinced, and took her hand. “I don’t want you to feel left out.”

She rolled her eyes at him and patted him on the cheek. “I won’t feel left out, I promise. Just go serve him tea and bring up my name every once and a while to keep the conversation flowing. When you come back I’ll have lunch or dinner prepared for you, depending on what time you return.”

“That sounds lovely!” Iroh said, chuckling as he rubbed his stomach at the thought of food. “We shouldn’t be too long.”

Zuko gave her a small kiss on the lips, which took her by surprise. “We’ll tell you everything when we get back, I promise.”

Tiani handed Iroh his tea set and shooed them both out the door, eager to get some time to herself. “Now go have fun. I’ll be here waiting for you.”

They both smiled and waved at her before stepping into the carriage that had been provided for them and then rode off in the direction of the royal palace. Tiani watched them leave from the doorway contentedly. She then dashed back inside the apartment and grabbed her grocery basket to begin her shopping day. The shop was closed for today for the special occasion which gave her all the time she needed to do her own thing.

For the next couple hours she wandered through the luxurious part of the upper ring, marveling at the luxurious stores and other impressive businesses. The people were just as polished and glamorous, practically glittering from head to toe from their jewelry.

After she had acquired all the necessary food items and personal impulse purchases, she made her way back to their apartment, the basket now much heavier than when she left.

It was already mid afternoon by the time she started cooking their celebratory lunch. Humming to herself, she tossed cut up vegetables into the pot and began to slice up a carrot with deadly efficiency that only a person very skilled with a blade would be able to do without slicing open a finger.

Cooking had always been a fun activity for her when she was little. Sometimes, she would come to the kitchen when her parents were busy or away and assist in cooking with the servants. Out of love for her, they taught her how to cook foods, treats, and tarts. It had been a lovely distraction from the constant turmoil in her life.

Tiani glanced out the window to see if they had returned. Lunch was nearly ready, and it had already been a few hours since they’d left. They should be back soon.

It must have been some conversation for it to go this long, she thought to herself. Maybe the Earth King has a wicked sense of humor that rivaled her own. If that was so, then maybe she should have come along.

They had looked so proud upon hearing that the Earth King wanted to have tea with them. She felt bad for not feeling the same but congratulated them anyways, doing her part to make this day special for them.

“Look at me,” she said to herself, snorting and transferring the vegetables in the pot to a bowl to be set on the table. “Cooking and making lunch like a normal person. Ha!” It was strange to think that not long ago she was the Black Tigress, a feared assassin, and now she was Fan who worked in a tea shop and cooked lunches for two men with their own quirks and habits.

Just as she was putting away the pots and pans, she heard the door open. Perfect, they were back. It took them long enough. If they had been any later, the food might have gotten cold.

She acted as if he hadn’t heard the door open and continued putting the cooking utensils and whatnot in the sink, finally calling out to them when she heard footsteps approaching. “So how was it? You were gone an awfully long time.”

The footsteps stopped right in the entrance to the kitchen, and a prickling sensation ran down her spine like ice cold water, causing the hairs on her neck to stand up. Something wasn’t right. She spied a butcher knife resting on the cutting board in front of her and slowly curled her fingers around the handle.

“I’m afraid Zuzu and my disgrace of an uncle can’t make it to lunch. I hope we can be a good substitute.”

Tiani stiffened. She’d recognize that haughty bored drawl anywhere. In a flash, she spun around and threw the knife with alarming accuracy and speed, the point of it embedding itself through the sleeve of Azula’s tunic as she was raising it to scratch her head and into the wall behind her.

The two girls standing on either side of the princess were instantly on the defensive, ready to attack without a second thought. Tiani inhaled sharply in recognition of them both.

“Mai? Ty Lee?”

The girl with the large brown eyes and brown hair pulled into a tight braid waved sheepishly at her. “Hi, Tiani.” Like the last time she saw her, she wore all pink including her shoes, and was just as pretty as she remembered.

Mai’s expression didn’t waver, her black eyes cold and hard with malice. The throwing knives in her hands glinted in the light and Tiani had a feeling she wasn’t afraid to use them on her. Still, after all these years, she still hated her. That much was evident.

Azula didn’t appear fazed that she had nearly been speared by a butcher knife and easily yanked it from the wall and her sleeve, arching a brow at her. “Is this how you treat all of your guests? My, you are a horrible host.”

“Oh do pardon me, would you like a cup of tea while you’re here? Or would you rather I blast you all from the window?” Tiani growled at her, two fireblades shooting from her clenched fists at her sides.

The princess laughed at her threat and tossed the butcher knife aside nonchalantly. “I thought you would be more pleased to see your old friends again.”

“What gave you the impression that we were friends?” She spat, noticing the hurt that flashed across Ty Lee’s angelic face for a split second. “Where is Zuko and Iroh?! What have you done to them?”

Azula waved her hand lazily. “Oh, yes, about that. I’m here to deliver a message on Zuko’s behalf. It would seem that my dear brother has recognized his duty to his people and his country. The Avatar is _dead_ and Zuko has decided to return to the Fire Nation and take his rightful place at my father’s side. My uncle is also going back, but as a traitor. He will be imprisoned for the crimes he has committed, like he should have a long time ago.”

Tiani felt all the blood drain from her face, and she grabbed onto the counter for support, the fire blades gone. Zuko was leaving? Without even telling her goodbye? The Avatar was dead? Was it done by his hand? “I..I don’t understand.”

The Fire Nation princess handed her a scroll and then turned to walk out of the apartment, followed closely by Mai and Ty Lee. “Farewell, Tiani. Life can be so unfair sometimes, but I am sure you will be fine.”

The door slammed shut behind them, and Tiani didn’t miss the nasty glare that Mai threw at her over her shoulder before it did.

Without hesitation, she unrolled the scroll and scoured over it, her eyes narrowed at the words she read and her legs became weaker and weaker the more she did so.

_Tiani,_

_I did what needed to be done. I killed the Avatar and have decided to return to the Fire Nation with my sister. I am sorry for any trouble I may have caused, but I ask you to leave the city of Ba Sing Se as soon as possible. It won’t be long before the Fire Nation takes control of the city and I don’t want you getting hurt._

_If this causes you any grief, just know that I did what I thought was right. This is my duty and my responsibility. What we had wouldn’t have lasted long anyway. I should have seen that from the beginning and it was wrong of me to not tell you. I’m sorry._

_Goodbye Tiani,_

_Zuko_

She didn’t know how long she sat there on the kitchen floor, clutching the scroll tightly and wrinkling it. At first, all she felt was pain--blinding aching pain that drilled deep into her heart and soul. Now…

 _He hurt you_ , the Black Tigress whispered enticingly in her ear. _He betrayed you. He left you alone. You’re all alone because of him. You have no one._

Tiani clamped her hands over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out that horrible taunting voice. No, he didn’t mean it. He wouldn’t do that. Why didn’t he even come here to say goodbye?

Why?

Why?

_Why?_

_Just give in. Let me inside. You know you want to. Think of all the fun we could have, just the two us. Think of the good days. We can have that again. You don’t have to keep shutting me out. Release it._

He had left her. And all he gave her was a single note with hardly an explanation. He had looked so happy earlier, what caused him to change his mind? What about that transformation Iroh had told her was happening to him?

Had he lied to her?

He didn’t care.

No one did.

Everyone in her life had left her.

The skin over her knuckles was pulled so tightly she felt it would rip.

Red hot rage began to spread throughout her body, eventually reaching her heart and causing it to close itself up again and harden into what it used to be.

And slowly, she allowed that cold dark feeling to creep back into her mind and curl into her thoughts and feelings, spreading throughout her entire being like a plague.

Her eyes shot open, burning with a fierce new light and determination and deadly intent.

Tiani Huang was dead. The Black Tigress had returned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dragon's Beard Candy: A Chinese type of candy that is very much similar to cotton candy


	24. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was really hard for me to write. We really get the chance to peer into the mind of the Black Tigress and see who she used to be and how insanely messed up she was. AAAA it's just so exciting!  
> Don't be afraid to leave a comment if you have anything you want to say!  
> -FeFe

_________________

All the citizens saw was a blur that passed through the streets like a whirlwind of shadow and destruction. Anything that got in her way, was blasted through with an explosion of fire, and anyone who stepped in front of her was easily knocked aside.

The only thing on her mind was the desire to destroy and obliterate. She would be feared. From the Earth Kingdom to the Water Tribes, people would know her name and cower in fear when in her presence. The whole world would experience her wrath.

And Zuko?

A corner of her mouth lifted. He would pay for what he did to her. She would make sure he burned for this. She wanted to see the horror in his eyes when he saw what she’d become. And her smiling face would be the last thing he saw before she rid the world of his existence.

Exhilaration and pure electricity thrummed in her veins. Spirits, she’d missed this. For so long she’d shoved this side of her away, refusing to let it see the light of day ever again. But now, she was free. And Spirits damn her, it felt so good. So good that her fingers itched to grab her blades and cut down the unfortunate people that happened to stand in her path.

No. Not yet. Save your strength for a true target. A target that means something.

She skidded to a stop and flung her leg outwards in a roundhouse kick, knocking a man that held the reins of an ostrich horse back into a pile of manure. Her lips curled into a cruel smile from under her hood and she gracefully swung herself into the saddle, yanking the bird in the direction she wanted and digging her heels into its side. It cawed loudly and launched forward, headed straight for the royal palace.

I’m coming, Zuko, she thought to herself. You better run.

_________________________

Getting to the palace was easy. There were hardly any guards on lookout and those that were, were easily thrown aside by her fire blasts.

The ostrich bird panted beneath her as she forced it to ascend the multiple flights of ivory white stairs, its talons clicking against the stone.

After reaching the top of the stairs, she quickly dismounted, leaving her bag hooked on the saddle, and entered the palace without hesitation, finding it strange that there were no guards positioned at the doors. Then of course, the Fire Nation had managed to infiltrate the city and take over from the inside. A lack of guards was actually not surprising if you thought about it.

Out of the corner of her eye, something moved. Without hesitation, she drew her blades and pointed them at a man dressed in all green who approached her cautiously. He shook like a leaf with his hands held up in submission.

“Y-you wish to speak to P-Princess Azula, do you not?” He asked her, stumbling over his words in fear. “I-I can take you to her.”

Beneath the darkness of her hood, she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. While this older man did not look threatening, there was still the possibility that he was lying and trying to trick her. She studied him closely. “That would be preferable, yes.”

He bowed respectfully to her. “Then I shall take you to her. I-if you would just follow me.”

The Earth Kingdom palace was enormous in size, it’s high ceiling held up by monstrous red green pillars and columns carved with intricate designs that wound around them like ivy.

Despite living a privileged lifestyle for most of her life, her wealth was minuscule in comparison to this. All the gaudy rugs and decorations throughout the palace disgusted her and she wanted nothing more than to burn it all down to the ground.

The man led her down a long hallway to an impressively sized door that was guarded on either side by Dai Li agents. They stared daggers at her as the man nodded at them to open the door, which they reluctantly did. Once she was inside, the door was shut behind her and Tiani found herself in the throne room of the palace. And lounging on the golden throne was Azula herself.

The Princess eyed her with amusement, propping her head up by her elbow and crossing one of her legs over the other languidly. “Hmm, I wonder who could be hiding under that hood. Come, come, now, Tiani--I know it’s you under there.”

She pulled back her hood and began picking at her nails with an air of arrogance that rivaled Azula’s. “You’ve been expecting me, haven’t you?”

Azula shrugged and waved her hand around lazily and drawled, “I had a feeling that you would drop by sooner or later. It seems I was right.”

Tiani’s palms brushed against her blades at her sides, itching for something to attack, something to cut down. “Then you know why I have come.”

A bored sigh. “I suppose you want my idiotic brother, don’t you?” She smiled wickedly when she saw the answer in her burning eyes. Her legs uncrossed and she leaned forward in the throne, clasping her hands together. “You know, normally I would give in to your...request, and let you inflict all sorts of horrible things upon him. But I’m afraid that he is of more importance to me at this moment, so I cannot let you have him”

“If we can’t come to an agreement,” Tiani growled, drawing her blades and sliding into a defensive stance, “Then I guess we’ll have to resort to violence in order to get what we want instead.”

There was a flicker of surprise in Azula’s eyes at the rage in her voice, but that was quickly replaced but a cunning smirk that reminded her of a snake. “I never would have thought of you as a violent person, Tiani.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” She snarled venomously, baring her teeth. “You have no idea what I’m capable of. What I’ve become.”

Azula’s brows narrowed and she grinned with delight, rising from the throne and stretching her arms above her head. “No, I don’t. But I would love to find out.”

Tiani spun her blades in her hands skillfully, feeling the unsuppressed power rising from within her, waiting to be unleashed. She gnashed her teeth, eyes burning so bright they could be flames themselves. “Be careful what you wish for.”

The Princess leapt from the dias and high into the air, bringing with her a wall of blue flame that crashed down upon her own shield of fire like water on rock. The force of the wave had been so intense, that it caused her to have her blades knocked from her hands. They skidded across the green marble floors, out of her reach.

Tumbling to the ground, she managed to roll out of the way as Azula blasted the exact spot she had been less than a second earlier. Gritting her teeth, she rocked back on her shoulder blades and shot to her feet, throwing out her leg to produce her own fire blast and then spun around to do it a second time.

Azula dodged the first one, allowing it to slam into one of the jade green columns and then extinguished her other two attacks with ease. She summoned two balls of blue fire to her hands and held them up tauntingly

“I would say you are _capable_ of nothing!” She sneered, sending the two balls of fire hurtling at her at breakneck speed.

Tiani saw them coming and shot into the air, flipping over them while capturing them with her own bending and redirected their attack back towards Azula, who barely had enough time to leap out of the way. She didn’t give her any time to recover and brought down a blade of flame that arced above her head and sliced clean though the golden throne, narrowly missing her.

There was no lazy smile left on Azula’s face as she whirled around in fury, no longer thinking that this was a simple fight that could easily be won. White and blue sparks flashed in her hands and Tiani’s eyes widened when she realized what was about to happen. “This has gone on long enough!” She roared, shooting bolts of lightning at her that crackled and stretched out towards her like dozens of little blades and knives.

She braced herself, steadying her feet and remembering what Iroh had taught her and Zuko: Let the energy within your body flow--let the lightning flow from one arm, down to the stomach and out the other arm. And then use your opponent's energy against them.

The lightning reached out towards her like long spindly fingers and she breathed in deeply, gritting her teeth as the bolts of energy slammed into her, crackling in her ears and thrumming in her veins. Her heart pounded in her chest, and every hair on every limb stood up as its power swept through her like a flood, seeking to destroy and dominate. But she didn’t let that happen. Her heels dug into the ground as its energy tried to push her back and threatened to consume her, but she stayed grounded, pushing back. With an animalistic snarl, she shot her arm outwards, her index and middle finger pointed at Azula. And redirected it towards it’s new target.

Azula cried out as the explosion sent her flying into a pillar and onto the ground in a crumpled unmoving heap.

Not caring if she was still alive or already dead, Tiani snatched her dao sword off of the floor and stood over the unconscious princess, lips curling in triumph. For years she had watched Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee practice their skills, unable to take part in any of it due to the overprotective and overruling nature of her parents. But she had observed them all and patiently waited. She had waited for this moment when she would bring down the famed firebending prodigy. And now, she was about to finish things for good.

For so long she had endured the constant mocking and bullying from Mai and Azula. Not once did she fight back because she knew that one day she would be strong enough to finally fight back. And win.

The whole world would cower in terror when they heard her name. They would know what she did. They would know that she killed the famed firebending prodigy--the daughter of Firelord Ozai. And soon, she would wipe his son off the face of the earth as well.

 _Finish it_! The Black Tigress urged, clouding her mind and judgment. _End her_!

Tiani inhaled deeply and raised her sword above her head, ready to strike.

And brought it down.

Something whistled through the air and hit the hilt of her blade, causing her to lose her grip on it and drop it instinctively.

She grunted, clutching her wrist and looking at where the knife had come from. Her eyes became slits as her childhood enemy stepped out of the shadows. “ _You_.”

Mai’s face was molded in a mask of cold indifference. She pointed a throwing knife at her defensively. “You know, I’ve always hated you. Ever since we were kids, I hated you. I hated how you always acted like you were better than everyone else with your stupid books and fancy clothes. But there was one thing I hated most of all.” She took a threatening step towards her. “I hated how he _looked_ at you. How he would always talk about you when you weren’t around. And how he would prefer to spend time with you instead of me. Because you were so _perfect_.” The hidden knives shot out from between her fingers in her other hand with a sharp _chhing_. “But now, I have the opportunity to take from you what we’ve both wanted. Zuko will leave with me, and there’s nothing you can do to prevent that. You _lost_.”

Tiani’s face contorted in fury as she screamed and threw out both her hands to blast the knife thrower into oblivion. But Mai was ready, quickly ducking behind a pillar and shooting several knives her way, all of them almost perfectly aimed. Almost.

She charged forward, well aware that she was less than a second away from becoming a pincushion, and at the last minute, dropped, sliding underneath them on her hip and easily rising to her feet again. Flames burst forth from her fists, along with her feet as the martial arts she’d been taught so long ago echoed in her head and Mai began to go on the defensive in order to evade her strikes that overpowered hers.

Every movement was perfectly calculated, every strike--every attack--doing its part. Just like the assassin she had always been. What she had been born to be. This wouldn’t be a challenge in the slightest. She was invincible.

Mai was tiring. Her breathing was becoming labored, and it wouldn’t be long before she eventually ran out of knives to throw. That had been the plan. Tiani had used this tactic on Jet along with many other opponents. It never let her down.

In a last attempt to fight back, the knife thrower flicked her wrist, revealing a long dagger hidden in her sleeve. With one swift flick, the knife cut through the air with deadly precision and accuracy. Any normal person would not have seen the blade coming and would be dead before they hit the ground. But not her. Not her.

Tiani kept her eyes glued on the knife as it spun towards her. And then she moved, sidestepping and reaching up with her hand like a frog catching a fly. She plucked the knife from the air as easily as you would pick a berry from a bush, a wicked grin crossing her face.

Mai paled, knowing that she had been defeated, but stood her ground anyway, staring death in the face with a look of determination.

Feeling victorious, the assassin readied herself to throw it back at her but was interrupted by someone jabbing her sharply in the arm that held the dagger. She gasped when she lost all feeling in that arm and dropped it. Angrily, she whirled around to face her attacker, but was shocked to feel three more jabs to the base of her neck, her other arm, and lower back. Instantly, her body went numb and she collapsed face first onto the ground, unable to move.

A pair of pink slippers stepped into her line of sight and she managed to look up and see that her attacker was in fact Ty Lee. Her lips peeled back from her teeth and she tried in vain to move. “How dare you?!”

The acrobat lowered her big brown eyes sadly. “I’m sorry, Tiani,” she sniffled. “But I needed to protect Mai.”

Tiani felt two pairs of hands grab her roughly by the arms and she tried everything in her power to fight back, but her body did not respond to her demands. Damn Chi blocking. Damn you, Ty Lee. Damn you!

Dai Li soldiers flooded the throne room in an orderly fashion and surrounded her, providing backup in case feeling began to return to her sooner than normal. They all looked down at her with disgust. And she hated them. All of them. If she had the ability to, they would all be dead before they could even have a chance to react.

Her head fell forwards in humiliation and defeat as she was dragged out of the throne room by her arms, probably being taken someplace where the worst criminals were kept and locked away for all eternity. She likely would never see the light of day again. It was over.


	25. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know it's a short chapter but it was so much fun to write. I currently have created a playlist dedicated to Tiani and it's full of so many awesome bops that just make you feel so empowered and also sad at the same time. Unfortunately, I don't feel comfortable linking the playlist since it contains my actual name and I would prefer to keep my personal information private. But please let me know if you want me to give you guys some of the songs to listen to in order to get a feel for her character! I would love to suggest some songs!  
> -FeFe

_____________________

Tiani did not know how long she sat there in the darkness of that cell beneath Ba Sing Se with her arms and legs in shackles. In all honesty, she didn’t care and didn’t even want to know.

Had it been days?

Weeks?

Months?

Carved into the wall were tallies from previous residents. What had happened to them? Did they die? Escape? Give up? Or had they just sat in silence, staring at what was in front of them with a numbness that struck deep within their heart. Like her.

So this was to be her fate. Stuck down here in a damp moldy cell that smelled of rot and mildew. A lost soul that had tried so hard to find her place in this world, but failed miserably. A pitiful excuse of a human being that fought her whole life, just to end up in the darkest part of the world. Forgotten. A nobody. A failure.

Mai had been right. She had lost. Like so many other times.

First her self confidence.

Then her parents.

Ren.

Ty Lee.

 _Zuko_.

For a time, she thought that maybe she could be happy. Maybe she could move forward and look towards a newer and brighter future serving tea for a living. But that small sliver of hope drifted away like a feather in the wind. Gone. Slipping through her fingers.

Everyone had left or betrayed her. And she was alone. Completely and utterly alone. Not that anyone cared--no one usually did. In fact, she wondered if anyone in her life actually did care.

Her parents had turned their backs on her after she’d been scarred. Cast aside like a bruised fruit or vegetable. Or a cart animal that was now lame and was to be slaughtered.

Because of her negligence, Ren had died. He had died because of her. She just hadn’t been fast enough. He’d of the few people she might have eventually grown to love. But life didn’t give them enough time before it snatched him away from her before they had a chance.

Ty Lee had been so kind to her during her childhood, showing interest in what she was reading or studying. And just keeping her company when she was alone. Which was most of the time. Besides Zuko, she’d been the only person she considered as a friend. Such a shame that she chose Azula and Mai over her.

Traitor. There would come a time when she would see how wrong her decision was.

And Zuko. Spirits, Zuko. The one person she had been close to offering her heart to. And he’d ripped it from her chest and shattered it into a million pieces. He had left her alone. Abandoned. Betraying her.

She should have seen this coming. Should have realized that it was only a matter of time before he turned his back on her like everyone did.

Idiot. Idiot. Idiot!

Tiani pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. Was Jin doing okay? She’d promised her that she would visit her days off.

What day was it? Was she worried and looking for her, knowing something wasn’t right? Or did she just not care? It wouldn’t be a surprise if she didn’t. These sort of things seemed to happen to her no matter what.

Rewind to a year ago when she was officially the Black Tigress, and she would have found a way out of this prison without a doubt. But now, her unmotivation and feeling of hopelessness prevented her from summoning even the smallest of flames.

Failure.

Would Master Shyshou be disappointed in her if he saw her right now? What would he say to her? That he regretted ever teaching her firebending? That he was ashamed to call her his pupil? Maybe he was dead by now. He had been on the older side the last time she saw him.

Zuko had been lucky to have Iroh by his side during the entirety of his banishment. He didn’t have to go through things alone--he knew he could always turn to his uncle if he needed advice or a helping hand. Tiani hadn’t had that. She’d had to go through things all by herself with only the wise words of her teacher and the rage of the Black Tigress whispering in her ear. If Master Shyshou had been with her when she had run away, she was sure things would have gone a lot differently.

Since the first time she began training with her old master, he had told her that she acted far too quickly and irrationally, drawing power from anger instead of her inner strength to produce fire. After all these years, she still refused to listen to his advice. And how could she? The one thing that spurred her forward was the need for revenge and the rage she felt towards her parents and anyone who hurt her. Without that anger and rage to fuel her fire, what was she?

In the cold darkness of that cell she wished. She wished and she imagined the warm delightful smell of jasmine tea that Iroh was brewing. She closed her eyes and imagined Master Shyshou sitting across from her with a Pai Sho table situated between them, waiting for her to make her move. Ren had a goofy grin on his face, trying to distract her while she looked down at her pieces, deciding where to move. Niourou was there too, his feathered head looking in through the open window with interest. And Zuko was...well Zuko. He scowled as Iroh tried to make him crack a smile by telling him a corny joke and then rolled his eyes lightheartedly when he caught Tiani watching him, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

A drop of ice cold water dropped from the ceiling, landing on the tip of her nose and breaking her out of that beautiful reverie, throwing her back into reality. Her eyes opened and she furiously wiped it away, looking around the cell to find that no one was there.

Spirits, she was alone.

Her arms wrapped around her legs and slowly rocked back on forth on the disgusting stone floor, not caring that her long hair now reached the ground and lay in murky wet puddles from leaks in the ceiling. Maybe she’d grow it out and eventually use it as a way to plan her escape. She scoffed bitterly. Like she could escape in her current state. Refusal of food and lack of activity had caused her to lose quite a bit of muscle mass and weight, resulting in her probably looking haggard and gaunt. A hollow shell of the woman she used to be.

Fine. So be it. If this is what life had planned for her, then let her rot in this prison cell for eternity. Perhaps this was her punishment for all the death and terror she caused--all the lives she’d taken without a second thought. Without mercy. The only kind act being her doing it quickly so her victim didn’t feel a thing.

Was Zuko happy with Mai? Did he love her? Was the knife thrower a better match for him than she was? Mai had been infatuated with him since they were small children, doing everything in her power to get him to talk to her--to notice her. And she’d get enraged whenever he preferred to talk to her instead, getting back at her later by throwing knives at her feet, knocking her into a fountain, or pulling out her braids painfully.

All those years of torment had paid off. Now she had him in her clutches without having to worry about Tiani coming to steal him away from her. She finally got what she wanted.

When the door opened with a loud screech, she didn’t bother to turn around, expecting a guard to toss a bowl of gruel or rice inside. So when the shadow of a tall looming figure that was definitely not a typical guard stepped in the doorway, she frowned, slightly confused. That was until the figure spoke, their voice being the one she had least expected in the whole world and hoped she would never hear again for as long as she lived. It sent chills down her spine and she stiffened.

“Tiani?”

Not giving him the satisfaction of seeing the power he still had over her, she planted a maniacal, much-too-wide grin that would make any normal person run for the hills, on her face and looked over her shoulder. 

“Hello, _father_.”


	26. Chapter 25

____________________

The man that stood in the doorway of the cell was tall and lean, his eyes a much darker shade of amber than hers and his dark hair pulled into a traditional topknot. His lips were pulled into a thin line as his gaze roved over the scars on her face and then the shackles that chained her hands and legs together to prevent her from escaping. Not that she planned on escaping. At least not any time in the near future.

“I received a message that you were being held here,” Fu Haung said, his voice calm and controlled. “It’s been four years, daughter. It’s time you come home.”

The crazed grin on her face quickly faded. A message? Who would send her parents a message? She clenched her jaw. It had to have been Mai or Azula. What were they playing at? What was the point of this? There had to be an underlying reason.

She scoffed at him scornfully, turning around fully to face him fully and sit cross legged so she could rest her elbows on her thighs and clasp her fingers beneath her chin. The chains clanked noisily while she repositioned herself. “Home? You would call Sokcho City home? That place has brought me nothing but pain. If you wish to take me back to that hellhole, then I would much rather prefer to stay in the confines of my cell.”

“Your mother and I now live in the Fire Nation Capital,” Her father informed her curtly. “It makes my work much easier.”

That got her attention. Her head lifted in interest and the gears began working at long last in her head. If she were to return to the Fire Nation while living within the Capital itself, it would bring her closer to what she desperately wanted: Zuko dead. All she would need to do would be to find the right time to plan her attack. Perhaps she would take care of Mai, too, while she was at it.

A hungry glint flashed in her eye, along with the familiar feeling of the Black Tigress stirring within her, purring approvingly. This might be her only chance. It was either rotting in a cell or reuniting with her family again. And as much as she wanted to slam the door on him, the desire to achieve her goal greatly overpowered it. Even if that meant living with her father, whom she despised. He’d hardly spoken and she already wanted to lunge at him and beat him into the ground so he got the smallest inkling of how she had felt.

No. She had to be cunning and manipulative. She had to make it seem like she was still that submissive child she had been four years ago. In order to gain her parents’ trust, she would need to act like the daughter they had always wanted her to be. Perfect.

Let them dress her in exquisite outfits, paint her face with powder, force her to eat with proper manners--they could do what they wanted. Just as long as she got what she wanted. Even if it took years, she would be patient and wait for the perfect moment to strike.

First, she would bring down Zuko, then Mai, and finally, she would stand and watch as her home city burned to ashes from her own flames.

“If you do decide to return,” Her father said, a hint of a threat lingering in his words, “you cannot run away. You will be under constant supervision and do exactly what we tell you. Not more running. Do I make myself clear?”

Tiani closed her eyes for a moment. She had been expecting this, but that didn’t stop it from falling down upon her shoulders like a dead weight. Going back to her old life meant that she would need to sacrifice the freedom she’d lived with for so long. Give up the ability to go wherever she pleased at any time without having escorts, speak however she wanted without being scolded for being too crude. And most importantly, she had to hide her bending and martial arts skills.

Her teeth ground together. She’d hidden her abilities since the day she discovered she could bend at the age of six and told no one about her talent with a blade. If she could do it for seven years, then she could do it for seven more if she had to. Whatever it takes, she told herself.

“Do I make myself clear?” Fu Huang repeated himself, slower this time in case she hadn’t been listening, making sure to say each word with perfect clarity.

“ _Crystal_ ,” Tiani responded, a bite to her words. Already, tension began to rise between them, growing more palpable by the second.

He held out a large hand and she hesitated. After running for so long, she found herself coming right back to where she started from. As if her entire journey was just her going in a complete circle.

A strange feeling settled inside of her. An ominous feeling that caused her to shiver. Something told her that this very decision would shape her future, her destiny...and her fate.

Risks have to be taken, she told herself firmly. Otherwise, nothing will ever happen.

She rose up on her knees to reach him, and with a steeled expression, took his hand.

_________________________

The guards unlocked the manacles that bound her wrists and ankles, falling away to reveal raw blistering skin that stung something fierce. After that, she and her father were escorted from Ba Sing Se by Fire Nation soldiers. Tiani had at first been surprised by the sheer amount of Fire Nation representation, but then she saw what had become of the great city of Ba Sing Se.

Everywhere she looked, there were foot soldiers and infantry swarming through the streets like dozens of marching ants, followed close behind by iron tanks and armored rhinos. Not a single shade of green to be seen. The only color was red. The color that represented the great country she had been born and raised in. And sometimes despised.

Sometime later, Tiani found herself aboard a large *sloop ship that reeked of wealth and superiority. It seemed her father hadn’t undergone any financial issues while she’d been gone. He sure knew how to travel.

The Huangs were practically royalty in the Fire Nation. Known for being one of, if not, the most richest family in the country and being the Fire Lord’s closest allies. Her father was not only a retired and reputable general, but a high ranking Lord as well. And being Ozai’s most esteemed military advisor certainly added to his credentials.

Her father did not hesitate when it came to spending money, splurging on an abundance of things, likely including this ship. Tiani wanted to vomit as she was led down a hallway with a blood red carpet rolled out along with floor and tapestries hanging on the wall. The serving girl led her to the chambers where she would be staying for the time being until they arrived back at the Fire Nation, and bowed quickly before scurrying out of the room and closing the door behind her.

It was all too much. After living frugally for so long, it was hard to remember the time when she’d last worn silk and seen it in such abundance. The night clothes that were laid out for her, the bedsheets--pillow cover---all silk in that bright shade of red that was increasingly getting on her nerves.

Upon first entering the washroom, she almost screamed when she saw the stranger in the mirror. The woman that stared back at her looked nothing like her. Protruding cheekbones, pallid skin, dark circles, matted hair and empty eyes that no longer burned with flame.

She reached up and touched one of the scars on her face, sighing sullenly. “Oh how the mighty have fallen.”

Her eyebrows raised when she spied the large metal tub nestled in the corner of the washroom, already filled with steaming water that so enticingly beckoned her towards it. How long had it been since she’d had a decent bath? Not that she didn’t bathe regularly--normally she had to find a secluded pond or river while on the road, and washing in a much too small wooden tub with lukewarm water was not satisfactory. If there was one thing she missed from living luxuriously, it was the hot baths that could be drawn with a single snap of her fingers.

As she peeled her filthy clothes from her body in disgust, she finally got a good look at what living in that cell had done to her. Thin arms, ribs poking through the skin, so much of the muscle she’d built from years of training, gone. How long had she spent in that jail cell?

A low moan escaped her lips as she eased herself into that blessed hot water, relaxing for a moment before grabbing the rag that lay next to the multiple vials and bottles of different soaps, and scrubbing the grime and filth from her body. Not caring what was what, she grabbed two of the bottles and dumped them on her head, working the sweet smelling shampoo into her hair, washing away the filth that covered her from head to toe.

She was going to train. She was going to train harder than she ever had. Every second of every day, she was going to bring back the strength she had lost. And maybe, her fire would return to her.

Experimentally, she lifted her hand from the water and tried to summon something. At least a spark. But there was nothing. Not even a wisp of smoke.

Snarling in frustration, she curled her fingers into a fist and slammed it back under the water, splashing water over the side of the tub and onto the floor.

There was a sharp knock on the washroom door and her father’s deep voice sounded on the other side. “Are you in there, daughter?”

She rested her arms on the sides of the tub and brought her leg up and out of the water, watching the droplets run down her skin, answering smartly, “If I say no, will you leave and go look for me elsewhere?”

“Don’t try and act smart with me, girl,” He growled impatiently in a tone of voice that brought back far too many dark memories of her childhood. “I’m having the servants make you look somewhat presentable. Dinner is in one hour. I expect you to be there. _On time_.”

Blah blah blah. Ugh, how was she ever going to survive this? She’d only been thirteen when she’d left, and not nearly as skilled and advanced as she was now. Preventing herself from bad mouthing her father would be a challenge. But a challenge worthy of the reward. She would need to be smart and practical if she was going to get what she wanted. And she’d need time to heal and regain her strength. In her current state, there was no way she could take down Zuko.

The screen door to the washroom flew open and Tiani cried out in surprise, lowering herself farther in the water as several serving girls flooded inside to begin scrubbing her body and massaging soap into her hair ferociously.

In all her life, she’d never felt self conscious about her body. With the exception of the scars of course. Like her mother, she’d been gifted with a slim and lithe figure and long legs that definitely helped when it came to martial arts. But that had been before being thrown in a cell with hardly any light, miniscule amounts of food, and foul tasting water for days on end. Now, as the servants lifted her arms to clean her, she felt incredibly uncomfortable and exposed. It wasn’t just the physical condition of her body that made her awkward. When she’d been bathed as a child, it had been different. She hadn’t been a woman then.

The servants scrubbed her from top to bottom and then dried her off with towels while wringing out her long hair that now fell past her hips. They didn’t speak a word while they went about doing this and Tiani wondered what was going through their heads. Why was she so skinny? How did she get her scars? What was the story behind all of this?

With the combined efforts from all four of the servants, she found herself wrapped in that same silk robe that was laid out on her bed and sat in front of a vanity. There, her hair was combed and pulled in all directions to form a half up half down bun at the top of her head that was held together by ornately decorated gold pins.

In a vain attempt to hide her wan complexion, rouge was applied to her cheeks to make it appear as if she had more color to her skin. She hated it.

When she looked at herself in the mirror, she wanted to shatter it with her fist. This was not her. The woman staring back at her resembled a porcelain doll that was designed for decoration only. It sickened her. Within her amber eyes, there was no sign of that predatory prowess. Just sadness, pain, and emptiness.

“You look lovely, My Lady,” One of the servant girls complimented her pleasantly. “Just like a princess.”

Clearly the image of a malicious fifteen year old who wielded blue flame did not come to mind when this was said. Tiani said nothing and straightened her spine, allowing that one servant girl to lead her down the hallway.

They had fitted her in a billowing red and gold *sheni dress that fluttered behind her while she walked like rippling water in a stream. The sleeves themselves nearly reached the ground and were expertly trimmed with gold silk fabric at the edges that shimmered in the golden light from the lanterns.

Her father stood when she stepped into the room where they would be dining. “Daughter, so good to see that you decided to come.” He noted her dress and nodded approvingly. “You clean up nicely.”

Tiani dipped her head, prepared to weave a tale of lies and manipulation, taking a seat at the opposite end of the table from him. Her father was many things, but he was not of the idiotic sort. She would need to use all her cunning in order to convince him that her story was true. Make him believe that she was a changed person. A worthy daughter.

He eyed her curiously over the rim of his cup of tea as he brought it to his lips and took a sip. “I am most interested in where you have been these past years that could have possibly landed you in the dungeons of Ba Sing Se for more than a week. That is surely a tale that deserves to be told, don’t you think.”

More than a week. That was how long she'd been in there. Strange how it felt like it had been an eternity. 

She would get stronger. She had to.

With the least bit of concern, she grabbed a bowl of rice, some chopsticks, and opened her mouth to begin her lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sloop Ship: A type of ship designed for the wealthy and upper class  
> Sheni Dress: A long dress worn in ancient China that is a mixture between a tunic and a dress.
> 
> OOOOOO It's getting juicy. I can't tell you how much I love writing manipulative characters! It's just so much fun! What do you think of Tiani's current character arc? Don't worry, I won't make her suffer for too long. That would be just cruel. I'm going to try and bring back my consistent uploading schedule of a chapter every day, but if I skip a day, please be patient! I promise that it will all be worth it in the end.  
> -FeFe


End file.
